Mikaela Shiffrin has done it again. The American skiing superstar secured her record-tying sixth women’s overall World Cup title — the biggest annual prize in the sport — by holding off a fierce challenge from rising German star Emma Aicher in a dramatic final race of the season.
Shiffrin, 31, only needed to finish in the top 15 of Wednesday’s giant slalom to clinch the big crystal globe. She delivered exactly that, battling from 17th after the first run to an impressive 11th-place finish overall. Aicher, who needed to win the race while hoping Shiffrin placed 16th or worse, started strong in third after run one but made a costly mistake early in her second run, dropping to 12th.
The moment the title was mathematically secured, Shiffrin dropped to her knees in pure emotion, tears flowing, and turned to her team asking, “Are you sure?”
“It’s quite emotional,” Shiffrin said afterward. “This thing sums up a whole season of work and fighting with the whole team. I have to say to Emma that her skiing has been just outstanding… I think the coolest thing about ski racing is that anything is possible.”
She added: “I had many moments where I thought, ‘Emma can win this race and I might not make points.’ I’m very grateful right now because I think this could go differently.”
Canadian Valerie Grenier claimed victory for her third career World Cup win, with Norway’s Mina Fuerst Holtmann second and Austria’s Julia Scheib third. Shiffrin crossed the line 2.02 seconds behind the winner, while Aicher was 2.04 back.
Shiffrin finished the season with 1,410 points, 87 ahead of Aicher’s 1,323 — the closest overall title battle she has faced in years.
This sixth overall crown ties Austrian legend Annemarie Moser-Pröll’s long-standing record (won between 1971 and 1979). Shiffrin previously claimed the title in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023. The achievement caps another dominant campaign that included her third Olympic gold in slalom at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, nine out of 10 World Cup slalom victories, and a career-total of 110 World Cup wins.
The 22-year-old Aicher, an all-around talent who grew up mostly in Sweden, impressed with multiple podiums and three World Cup wins this season (including in downhill and super-G), proving she’s a legitimate future threat for the overall crown.
Shiffrin’s success also helped power the U.S. women’s team to the Nations Cup title for the first time since 1982, thanks to strong contributions across the roster — including from Lindsey Vonn before her Olympic crash.
Standing alongside her fiancé, Norwegian skiing champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Shiffrin reflected on the grind: “I’m ready for another season — or maybe not yet — but I’m excited to keep ski racing.”
At 31, the most decorated female skier in history shows no signs of slowing down. This hard-fought sixth globe wasn’t just about adding another trophy — it was a testament to resilience, team effort, and the unpredictable thrill of the sport.
Ski racing fans are already buzzing: Is a seventh title on the horizon? For now, Shiffrin gets to savor one of her most satisfying victories yet.
