The iconic floodlit slopes of Flachau, Austria, are set to ignite tomorrow as the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup women’s slalom delivers one of the season’s most thrilling spectacles — a night race under the lights! Mikaela Shiffrin, the undisputed queen of slalom and two-time Olympic gold medalist, heads into this penultimate event before the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics determined to reclaim her throne after a rare setback.
The American superstar, boasting a staggering 106 career World Cup victories (including a record 69 in slalom), dominated the early season with five straight slalom wins from the opener in Levi through Semmering. That streak — six consecutive including last season’s finale — made her untouchable… until Switzerland’s Camille Rast, the reigning slalom world champion, ended it in dramatic fashion on January 4 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, edging Shiffrin by just 0.14 seconds for the victory.
Shiffrin finished second there but remains firmly in control, leading the slalom standings with 580 points (well ahead of Rast’s 362) and topping the overall World Cup rankings at 823 points (to Rast’s 703). Flachau holds fond memories for the 30-year-old legend — she’s podiumed in nearly every visit, with multiple wins on the challenging Hermann Maier course — but Rast knows the track too, having triumphed here last year.
With the Olympics just weeks away (women’s slalom slated for February 18 in Cortina), this night showdown could serve as the perfect preview of an epic gold-medal battle between the two tech masters. Shiffrin, hungry to bounce back and extend her legacy, arrives as the clear favorite to light up the scoreboard once more.
Broadcast Schedule (CET):
First run: 17:45 (11:45 a.m. ET on NBCSN/Peacock)
Second run: 20:45 (2:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN/Peacock)
Expect roaring crowds, razor-sharp gates, and high-stakes drama under the stars! Will Shiffrin silence the doubters and roar back to the top, or can Rast pull off another upset? The lights are on — tune in for the electric action!
