Mikaela Shiffrin is back in action, and her sights are set on making history in the skiing world. The American skiing sensation is just three victories shy of reaching the magical 100-win mark, a feat that would cement her status as one of the greatest Alpine skiers of all time ¹. As she gears up for the 2024-25 FIS World Cup season, Shiffrin is feeling energized and motivated, with a newfound approach to the records discussion .
Shiffrin’s impressive career has been marked by numerous milestones, including 97 World Cup victories, with 60 of those wins coming in slalom, 22 in giant slalom, five in super-G, and four in downhill ¹ ². Her most recent downhill win was in St. Moritz in December 2023. However, a bad crash in the downhill at Cortina d’Ampezzo in January 2024 brought some perspective on her attempts to compete in every discipline, prompting a rethink.
This season, Shiffrin has opted to skip downhill events, focusing instead on her core disciplines: slalom, GS, and super-G ¹ ². This modified approach is aimed at preserving quality and minimizing the risk of injury. As Shiffrin explained, “Juggling training for every discipline is always a struggle… At some point, we end up sacrificing quality” ². With her sights set on the overall World Cup title, Shiffrin is eager to get back to competition mode.
The 2024-25 FIS World Cup season kicks off on October 26, 2024, with the traditional opening giant slalom on the Rettenbach Glacier in Sölden, Austria ¹. Shiffrin has won twice on this course, in 2014 and 2021, and is looking to make it three. Despite the challenges posed by the unpredictable October weather, Shiffrin is feeling confident, thanks in part to productive off-season training blocks in South America.
As Shiffrin pursues her 100th World Cup win, here are some key milestones to watch:
– _Current win tally:_ 97
– _Wins by discipline:_
– Slalom: 60
– Giant Slalom: 22
– Super-G: 5
– Downhill: 4
– _Next races:_ Back-to-back slaloms in Finland and Austria
Shiffrin’s fiancé, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, a Norwegian former overall and two-time World Cup downhill champion, will be cheering her on from the sidelines ¹. Despite facing his own injury setbacks, Kilde remains a valuable source of support and advice for Shiffrin.
As the skiing world waits with bated breath for Shiffrin’s next move, one thing is clear: this season promises to be one for the books. With her exceptional skill, determination, and newfound focus, Mikaela Shiffrin is poised to make history and solidify her status as one of the greatest skiers of all time.
In her own words, Shiffrin is “energized” by the prospect of reaching 100 wins, and she’s not alone ². Fans and fellow athletes alike are eagerly anticipating her next competition, and the skiing world will be watching with great interest as Shiffrin takes on the best in the sport. Will she reach the century mark this season? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Mikaela Shiffrin is back, and she’s ready to make her mark.
