Mikaela Shiffrin made history yet again on Sunday, winning the women’s giant slalom in Åre to claim her 104th career World Cup victory and surpass the all-time record she had shared with Ingemar Stenmark for just nine months.
The 30-year-old American finished 0.78 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, with Italy’s Federica Brignone taking third. The victory also mathematically secured Shiffrin’s place on the U.S. team for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, triggering emotional scenes at the finish area.
Watching from the sidelines, Eileen Shiffrin – Mikaela’s mother and lifelong coach – could barely contain her pride.
“She’s always made me proud – always,” Eileen told reporters, her voice cracking. “But today, with everything she’s been through this season, the injuries, the pressure, the expectations… to see her ski like that again and to know she’s officially going to another Olympics, it’s overwhelming.”
Shiffrin’s 104th win comes 13 years after her first World Cup victory in Spindleruv Mlyn in 2012. The triumph in Åre marks her sixth win of the still-young 2025/26 season and extends her lead in the overall standings to more than 400 points.
After crossing the finish line, Shiffrin looked toward the leader board, pumped her fists once, then immediately searched the crowd for her mother. The two shared a long embrace at the bottom of the hill – a moment that has become one of the most recognisable images in alpine skiing.
“It’s hard to put into words what it means to have my mom there for basically every single one of these 104 wins,” Mikaela said in the post-race press conference. “She’s been my rock since I was two years old. Hearing her say she’s proud… that’s worth more than any crystal globe.”
The result also ends any remaining doubt about Shiffrin’s participation in next year’s Olympics. Under U.S. Ski Team selection criteria, athletes who reach specific performance benchmarks automatically qualify, and Sunday’s victory pushed Shiffrin well beyond the required threshold.
Shiffrin now turns her attention to the speed events in St. Moritz next weekend, where she will chase further milestones in downhill and super-G – disciplines in which she already holds multiple world championships and Olympic medals.
For Eileen Shiffrin, however, the numbers are secondary.
“I don’t care if it’s 104 or 204,” she said, smiling through tears. “She’s my little girl, and she’s the best there’s ever been. That’s all that matters.”
