Mikaela Shiffrin wins her ninth slalom race of the season, edging closer to overall World Cup victory.

Mikaela Shiffrin continued her extraordinary dominance on the slopes by securing her 110th World Cup victory, while also claiming a record-breaking ninth slalom win in a single season. With this latest triumph, she has moved to the brink of capturing what would be her sixth overall World Cup title, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest alpine skiers in history.

Competing at the World Cup Finals in Hafjell, Norway, Shiffrin delivered a commanding performance in the slalom event. She finished a remarkable 1.32 seconds ahead of Swiss competitor Wendy Holdener, combining her times across two runs to secure a dominant victory. Germany’s Emma Aicher completed the podium, finishing 1.36 seconds behind Shiffrin in third place.

Heading into the race, Aicher had been trailing Shiffrin by 45 points in the race for the overall World Cup title, which is widely regarded as the most prestigious prize in alpine skiing. However, the outcome of Tuesday’s event significantly widened the gap. Shiffrin now holds an 85-point lead over Aicher with just one race remaining in the season—a giant slalom event also set to take place in Hafjell.

The structure of the World Cup overall standings is based on points accumulated throughout the season, which runs from October to March and spans multiple disciplines, including downhill, super-G, giant slalom, and slalom. Points are awarded according to finishing position in each race, with the winner earning 100 points, second place receiving 80, third place 60, and so on down the rankings.

With such a system in place, Shiffrin is now in a highly advantageous position. She will secure the overall title in the final race if she finishes within the top 15. Alternatively, she can also clinch the title if Aicher fails to win the giant slalom, regardless of Shiffrin’s own result.

Despite trailing, Aicher has been in exceptional form, particularly since the conclusion of the Olympic Games. The 22-year-old German has recorded top-five finishes in nine of the 11 World Cup races she has contested across all disciplines during this period. Notably, Aicher, who claimed a silver medal in the downhill event at the recent Olympics, had been a considerable 449 points behind Shiffrin in the standings immediately following the Milan Cortina Games.

Reflecting on their competition, Shiffrin spoke warmly about Aicher, describing the rivalry as both intense and unusual given their personal relationship. She acknowledged the emergence of a new generation of elite skiers and expressed excitement about Aicher’s future in the sport.

Shiffrin noted that while they are competitors, there is mutual respect and even friendship between them. She highlighted the unique challenge of competing against someone she admires, emphasizing that the battle for the overall title has been both thrilling and meaningful. With just one race left to decide the outcome, both athletes are preparing to give their maximum effort in the season finale.

Should Shiffrin secure the overall title, she will equal the record held by Austrian legend Annemarie Moser-Pröll, who won six overall World Cup titles during the 1970s. Matching such an iconic figure would represent another significant milestone in Shiffrin’s already decorated career.

In addition to her pursuit of the overall title, Shiffrin has also set a new benchmark in slalom racing this season. By winning nine of the 10 World Cup slalom events she has entered, she has surpassed the previous record she shared with Croatian great Janica Kostelić for the most slalom wins in a single season. It is worth noting that this record excludes parallel slalom events.

Her level of dominance is further illustrated by her average margin of victory. Across her slalom wins this season, Shiffrin has triumphed by an average of 1.16 seconds—a significant gap in a sport often decided by hundredths of a second. Her superiority was also evident at the Olympics, where she won the slalom event by 1.5 seconds, marking the largest winning margin in any Olympic alpine skiing event since 1998.

Looking back at previous seasons, Shiffrin has consistently demonstrated her prowess in slalom. During the 2017–18 campaign, she won seven traditional slalom races along with two parallel slaloms, both of which contributed to the slalom standings. In the following 2018–19 season, she achieved eight slalom victories and added two more parallel wins, including one in a city event.

Historically, one of the most notable slalom seasons came from Swiss skier Vreni Schneider, who won all seven slalom races during the 1988–89 season. However, Shiffrin’s current achievements, particularly in terms of total wins and consistency, place her firmly among the sport’s all-time greats.

Shiffrin last secured the overall World Cup title in 2023. In the years that followed, she faced significant challenges, including injuries sustained in race crashes that prevented her from competing for the overall crown in both 2024 and 2025. These setbacks made her current return to the top even more remarkable.

Speaking about her journey, Shiffrin emphasized that her success is not solely her own but a reflection of the collective effort of her team. She acknowledged the immense support she has received over the years, particularly during the difficult period marked by injuries and recovery.

She described her achievements as symbolic of the hard work and dedication of those around her, noting that returning to peak performance required a substantial and sustained effort. Overcoming physical setbacks and regaining her competitive edge has been a demanding process, making her current position all the more rewarding.

As the season reaches its conclusion, all eyes will be on the final giant slalom race in Hafjell. With the overall title within touching distance, Shiffrin has the opportunity to cap off one of the most dominant seasons in alpine skiing history. Whether she secures the title or not, her performances throughout the campaign have already reinforced her status as a defining figure in the sport.