The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup circuit heads to Gurgl, Austria, this weekend for the season’s second round of men’s and women’s slalom races, with American stars Mikaela Shiffrin and Paula Moltzan arriving in top form after dominant early performances.
Shiffrin, 30, continued her record-breaking dominance last weekend in Levi, Finland, winning by a massive 1.66 seconds — her largest margin in nearly two years. The victory marked her 65th career slalom World Cup win, her 102nd podium across all disciplines (both all-time records), and earned her a ninth reindeer trophy — putting her level with Santa Claus in the unofficial reindeer rankings.
Returning to Gurgl, where she won last year, Shiffrin currently tops the overall World Cup standings with 150 points. Her teammate Paula Moltzan sits close behind in second place with 130 points, making the U.S. women a formidable force early in this Olympic qualification season. World Cup points play a key role in determining how many athletes each nation can send to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Moltzan, 31, has enjoyed a breakthrough start to the 2025-26 campaign. She kicked off the season with a runner-up finish in the Sölden giant slalom and followed it with fourth place in Levi despite a difficult first run. “I had to find another level in the second run, and I’m really proud of the turns I made,” Moltzan said afterward. The 2022 Olympian looks primed to challenge for the podium again this weekend.
Other U.S. women in action include Nina O’Brien, AJ Hurt, Liv Moritz, and Annika Hunt. O’Brien and Hurt both posted strong results in Sölden (sixth and 13th) but suffered did-not-finish (DNF) results in Levi and will be eager to rebound. Katie Henrien remains sidelined with an ankle injury, while Elisabeth Bocock is targeting a return at upcoming U.S. races after a groin issue.
Rising Albanian teenager Lara Colturi, 19, is one to watch after taking second in Levi and seventh in Sölden. The 2025 Longines Rising Ski Star award winner is quickly establishing herself among the elite. Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić, last season’s slalom crystal globe winner, is also expected to contend.
On the men’s side, newly minted Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen — fresh off becoming the first Brazilian ever to win a World Cup race (in Levi) — headlines the field. The 25-year-old, who previously raced for Norway, now has Olympic medal aspirations for Brazil in any winter sport.
France’s Clément Noël, the defending Gurgl champion, finished second in Levi and will look to reclaim the top step. Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, last year’s men’s slalom globe winner, returns as well.
The U.S. men are still searching for momentum after a tough Levi outing that saw multiple DNFs and non-qualifiers. Ben Ritchie, Jett Seymour, and Luke Winters will carry American hopes this weekend, with Cooper Puckett sitting out.
Weekend Schedule (all times Eastern):
Saturday, Nov. 22
4:30 a.m. – Men’s slalom run 1 (Peacock)
7:30 a.m. – Men’s slalom run 2 (Peacock)
Sunday, Nov. 23
4:30 a.m. – Women’s slalom run 1 (Peacock, NBCSN)
7:30 a.m. – Women’s slalom run 2 (Peacock, NBCSN)
With Shiffrin back to her pre-injury best and Moltzan skiing at a career-high level, the U.S. women have a golden opportunity to extend their early-season advantage in Gurgl.
