In a slalom run that blended raw power, precision, and an almost defiant joy, Mikaela Shiffrin etched her name deeper into the annals of alpine skiing history on February 23, 2025, claiming her 100th World Cup victory here in the sun-drenched Italian Alps. The 29-year-old American superstar crossed the finish line 0.61 seconds ahead of the field, her second-run time of 56.54 seconds sealing a triumph that no skier—male or female—has ever approached. As Shiffrin collapsed into the snow, tears streaming down her face, the crowd’s roar echoed the sentiment rippling through the global skiing community: this wasn’t just a win; it was immortality.
The milestone, achieved in the women’s slalom at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, extended Shiffrin’s already insurmountable lead in career victories, surpassing Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark’s previous record of 86 by a staggering 14. It also tied her with Stenmark for the most podium finishes in World Cup history at 155, a testament to her unrelenting dominance across slalom, giant slalom, super-G, and beyond. But for Shiffrin, who had battled back from a harrowing crash in Killington, Vermont, just three months prior—one that left her with a punctured abdomen, torn oblique muscle, and weeks of surgery and recovery—the number 100 carried layers of personal resurrection.
“I honestly did not anticipate 100 was going to happen this season,” Shiffrin said in a tearful post-race interview, her voice cracking as she scanned the scoreboard she later admitted she “couldn’t find.” “There’s so much more meaning to this one than a number or a record. It’s almost a surprise after everything that’s happened.”pa The crash in November 2024 had not only sidelined her physically but triggered a “mind-body disconnect,” as she described it—a cocktail of fear, anxiety, and the weight of expectations that once felt liberating now loomed like an unyielding gate. Yet, in Sestriere, where she also won in 2016, Shiffrin rediscovered her rhythm, pushing through the pain to deliver a masterclass that left silver medalist Zrinka Ljuštik of Croatia in awe.
“She was fighting so hard; she really deserved it,” Ljuštik said, her own podium a footnote to history. “It was special that I could witness it today.” Shiffrin’s U.S. teammate Paula Moltzan, finishing third, shared a heartfelt embrace at the line, later posting on X: “Proud to push with you to 100!
A Comeback Forged in Fire
Shiffrin’s path to 100 was anything but linear. After the Killington fall, which derailed her initial bid for the milestone, she returned to training gingerly, testing her body on the slopes while grappling with the mental scars. “Winning—taking another crack at that 100th victory—was pretty much off the table,” she confessed days before her comeback race. Strength sessions in the gym gave way to cautious free-skiing, each turn a negotiation between ambition and caution. But Shiffrin, ever the tactician, channeled the setback into fuel. “A lot of things had to go right in my direction for this to happen,” she reflected. “But I did something right, too.”
Her victory wasn’t isolated; it capped a season of quiet resurgence, including a “special” 101st win on home soil at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, in March. There, amid cheering U.S. fans and young racers donning costumes in her honor, Shiffrin felt the full embrace of a nation. “I have felt so much support from U.S. fans,” she said. “It’s just cool to be here and share this atmosphere.”
Echoes from the Legends: “Unbelievable, Spectacular”
As news of the 100th win spread like wildfire, the skiing world erupted in a chorus of admiration, with past champions and contemporaries alike hailing Shiffrin as the undisputed greatest of all time (GOAT)—a label she famously shies from but can no longer evade.7bd698 The International Ski Federation (FIS) captured the sentiment perfectly in their headline: “‘Mikaela is and will remain the best ever’: skiing’s finest react to Shiffrin’s 100.”
Austria’s Annemarie Moser-Pröll, a five-time overall World Cup champion with 62 victories and Shiffrin’s childhood idol, was first to weigh in. “100 World Cup victories for Mikaela: unbelievable, spectacular,” Moser-Pröll said. “She doesn’t just want to win; she blows the competition away. One thing is certain for me: Mikaela is and will remain the best ever.”
Alberto Tomba, the Italian showman known as “La Bomba” who won 50 races in the 1980s and ’90s, marveled at Shiffrin’s versatility. “Coming from Downhill to Slalom was a big problem for me—it’s like a 100m sprint and the marathon,” he laughed. “But Mikaela is a phenomenon; she does it so easily.” Pirmin Zurbriggen, the Swiss all-rounder with 40 wins, added: “What also sets Mikaela apart is her naturalness, her authenticity, and the joy that she radiates.”
Even Shiffrin’s rivals couldn’t hide their reverence. Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter, the 2018 Olympic slalom gold medalist who once bested her, joked: “I will for sure tell my kids one day I beat Mikaela, once or twice!” And from the personal front, fiancé Aleksander Aamodt Kilde—himself a Norwegian World Cup winner recovering from surgery—posted a heartfelt tribute: “Sorry Mikaela, I know you hate the GOAT talk—but sometimes your man should be allowed to brag. Today you hit your 100th World Cup victory—wow! So proud of you.”
On X, the reactions poured in like fresh powder. NBC Olympics shared a poignant clip of Shiffrin emphasizing the journey over numbers, garnering over 16,000 views.) SKI Magazine hailed it as history made, while fans like @lernvsradio captured the drama: “Mikaela Shiffrin has made history by winning her 100th World Cup race, becoming the first skier ever—male or female—to achieve the 100-win milestone.”
Beyond the Gates: Legacy and Looking Ahead
For Shiffrin, the win is more than personal glory; it’s a platform. She donated $10,000 to Share Winter, her foundation promoting access to winter sports for underserved communities, and challenged fans and sponsors to match it to $100,000.f507a0 “The 100th victory… is one I hope will not just be another record for me, but a motivation to continue racing and to have fun,” she told ABC News. In a nod to mental health—a cause she’s long championed—Shiffrin has used her story to destigmatize the “fear” she overcame, inspiring a new generation.
As the 2025-26 season looms, with stops in Åre, Sweden, and beyond, the question isn’t if Shiffrin will add to her tally, but how high the bar can rise. Lindsey Vonn, her compatriot and the next-closest woman with 82 wins, once called the record “untouchable.” Now, at 100 and counting, Shiffrin has redefined what’s possible. In the words of Moser-Pröll, the best ever isn’t just a title—it’s a promise kept.
