In a grueling women’s World Cup giant slalom marked by bumpy terrain, shadowy light, and punishing conditions, American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin fought through both runs to secure a strong sixth-place finish, leading the Stifel U.S. Ski Team on a challenging day.
The 30-year-old Shiffrin, fresh off a perfect 4-for-4 in slalom this season, showed resilience in the technical giant slalom event, navigating the demanding course to post another top-10 result. “It was very bumpy, and it’s always dark here because the course stays in the shadow,” Shiffrin said post-race. “That makes it especially challenging, because you really have to trust what you’re doing without seeing everything clearly. When I got to the finish, I thought, ‘Okay, I could do that again.’ For me, that was a big step today.”
Teammate AJ Hurt delivered an impressive performance in her return to World Cup action, finishing 21st with two consistent runs—her best result since November. “I’m just glad to be here and be back with all the teammates and friends,” Hurt said. “The course is kind of funky. This hill is always weird with how narrow it is—definitely a challenge today.”
Several U.S. athletes, including Paula Moltzan (who sat sixth after a strong first run), Nina O’Brien, Elisabeth Bocock, and Kjersti Moritz, did not finish their runs but are reported unharmed. Mary Bocock did not advance to the second run. Despite the setbacks, the team remains motivated heading into the Olympic season.
Austria’s Julia Scheib thrilled the home crowd with a commanding victory—her third GS win of the 2025-26 season—edging Switzerland’s Camille Rast by 0.14 seconds. Reigning Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden rounded out the podium in third.
Attention now turns to tomorrow’s slalom in Semmering, where Shiffrin—on a five-race slalom winning streak dating back to last season—will aim to extend her dominance in her signature discipline as the road to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics heats up.
Results (Women’s Giant Slalom – Semmering):
Julia Scheib (AUT)
Camille Rast (SUI)
Sara Hector (SWE) …
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) +1.45
