Mikaela Shiffrin Returns to Courchevel Night Slalom: Who and How to Watch

2024 World Cup Finals in Saalbach Mina Fuerst Holtmann, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Anna Swenn Larsson: GEPA images

Women’s World Cup Night Slalom in Saalbach, Austria: Who Will Race, What Is at Stake, and How Can I Watch?

Course and Key Storylines for the 2025 Saalbach Women’s Slalom

The final women’s race of the 2025 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships will be held on the Ulli Maier course on February 15. The track will challenge the world’s top slalom skiers to their limits, with a vertical drop of 219m, a finish at 1,060m, and a start altitude of 1,279m.

Camille Rast of Switzerland and Zrinka Ljutić of Croatia are both eager to contend for the gold medal at this eagerly anticipated event. Nevertheless, the most significant narrative is Mikaela Shiffrin’s return to individual World Championship racing. Shiffrin, who has already achieved a gold medal in the team combined event with Breezy Johnson, is determined to add another title to her signature discipline.

The women’s slalom is expected to be a thrilling conclusion to the Saalbach 2025 World Championships, given the challenging course and the deep field of contenders.

Returning to Saalbach: The Slalom Podium from the Previous Season

The defending champion from the World Cup Finals last season, Shiffrin returns to Saalbach to defend her title. She dominated the slalom and secured her eighth career World Cup slalom title. In second place was Mina Fuerst Holtmann of Norway, while Anna Swenn-Larsson of Sweden secured the third spot.

The podium could offer valuable information regarding the World Championship contenders for this year. However, Holtmann has been unable to replicate her runner-up finish, with her best result this season being ninth in Flachau. Swenn-Larsson, on the other hand, has been a consistent force, achieving the podium twice—once in Killington and again in Kranjska Gora).

Shiffrin began the season with a winning streak, winning the first two slaloms. However, her campaign was cut short by an injury. She has since resumed competition, participating in a single World Cup slalom in Courchevel as she continues to regain her peak speed. She is currently pursuing an additional World Championship medal on the same slope where she secured victory less than a year ago.

Slalom podium winners have been revised.

The competition has been intense this season, with numerous athletes demonstrating their capacity to secure a spot on the podium, as seven World Cup slalom races have been completed. The event’s depth has been underscored by the fact that nine distinct women from seven countries have achieved top-three finishes thus far.

The Saalbach World Championships will be preceded by the following comprehensive list of World Cup slalom podiums:

Levi, Finland—Katharina Liensberger (AUT), Lena Dürr (GER), Mikaela Shiffrin (USA)

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), Camille Rast (SUI), and Lara Colturi (ALB) were in Gurgl, Austria.

Camille Rast (SUI), Anna Swenn-Larsson (SWE), and Wendy Holdener (SUI) are located in Killington, Vermont.

Lena Dürr (GER), Katharina Liensberger (AUT), and Zrinka Ljutić (CRO) in Semmering, Austria.

Kranjska Gora, Slovenia—Anna Swenn-Larsson (SWE), Wendy Holdener (SUI), and Zrinka Ljutić (CRO)

Flachau, Austria—Sara Hector (SWE), Wendy Holdener (SUI), and Camille Rast (SUI)

Courchevel, France—Zrinka Ljutić (CRO), Sara Hector (SWE), and Lena Dürr (GER)

Key Competitors En route to Saalbach

Ljutić arrives at the World Championships as the most impressive slalom skier on the tour, having secured three victories this season. Shiffrin, despite her absence from races due to injury, is a seasoned winner who is determined to reclaim her position as a leader.Lena Dürr, Wendy Holdener, and Swenn–Larsson have demonstrated consistency without claiming a victory, while Rast has won twice, making her another serious challenger.

The Saalbach World Championship Slalom will be a competition between the top skiers of the season. Is it possible for Ljutić to maintain her successful strategies?Will Shiffrin regain her position at the summit? Alternatively, will a world champion emerge for the first time? The final women’s race of the championships will yield the answers.

Standings of the top 15 women in the 2024-25 SL World Cup

To increase the size of the images, simply click on them.

A Global Field: The Top 15 Slalom Rankings

The sport’s international depth is underscored by the top 15 slalom rankings, which feature skiers from nine distinct countries.With three athletes each, Austria and Switzerland are the leaders in technical events, further solidifying their dominance.The discipline’s continued strength is demonstrated by the presence of two representatives each from Sweden and the United States.

At the same time, Germany, Croatia, Albania, Slovenia, and Canada each have a skier in the top 15, demonstrating that elite slalom talent is sourced from a diverse array of countries. The competition for the World Championship title in Saalbach will be unpredictable due to the diverse field of athletes, including those from traditional powerhouses and emerging ski nations, who are competing at the highest level.

An Examination of the Top Five

Ljutić has proven herself to be the most dominant slalom skier of the season, winning multiple races and demonstrating her ability to perform under pressure, securing the top spot in the standings.Rast has also achieved numerous victories, demonstrating her ability to navigate the most challenging slalom venues at the World Cup.

Dürr has been a frequent contender, earning several podiums but still striving for a breakthrough victory, while Holdener, a veteran with a history of podium finishes, has consistently remained near the top.Sara Hector, who is primarily recognized for her GS accomplishments, has demonstrated a significant improvement in slalom this season, completing the top five with impressive performances.

Shiffrin, the most successful slalom skier in history, is not ranking in the top five as a result of the races she missed while recuperating from an injury.Although she has already demonstrated her ability to regain her peak performance, she is not the undisputed favorite when she is at her peak. Nevertheless, her capacity to perform at a high level in championship events and her extensive experience render her a formidable competitor.

The Saalbach World Championship Slalom is anticipated to be an exhilarating competition for the gold medal, given the depth and competitiveness of the field.

The women’s 2025 Saalbach Alpine Ski World Championships slalom will commence with one hundred sixteen women representing 52 nations.

Sascha Sorio (SWE) will establish the second run, while Klaus Mayrhofer (AUT) has established the first.

2024-25 World Cup Slalom Rankings for North America

2024-25 World Cup Slalom Rankings for North America

Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Mikaela Shiffrin

This season, Shiffrin has secured two victories in the World Cup slalom, bringing her career total to 62. She now has eight World Championship gold medals and has claimed eight World Cup slalom season titles, following her recent Team Combined gold medal win alongside Breezy Johnson.

She is the undisputed favorite when she is at full strength; however, she has prioritized her recovery in order to compete in the World Championships, as she is passionate about the event. Although she is not at full capacity, she remains Shiffrin, which is sufficient to establish her as a top contender. For the past six World Championships, she has participated in the race.

Paula Moltzan

Moltzan, a former All-American at the University of Vermont, is currently the 2025 World Championship bronze medalist in giant slalom. This season, she achieved her highest World Cup slalom finish of sixth in Flachau, and she has two career slalom podiums. She is a formidable competitor, currently ranked 13th.

She has participated in three World Championship slaloms (2015, 2019, 2021), achieving a best finish of 18th. She is proficient in skiing and is prepared to confront the competition.

Katie Hensien

Hensien, a first-team All-American at the University of Denver, has achieved a personal best in slalom points this season, with two regular season races remaining. She is currently ranked 37th in the slalom standings, and her highest finish was 12th in Kranjska Gora.

She has participated in two World Championship slaloms (2021, 2023), achieving a 26th-place finish in 2023.

AJ Hurt

Hurt is the youngest of the four slalom skiers on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, at the age of 24. She is currently ranked 44th in the standings after missing the first three slalom races of the season. She achieved a podium finish in the slalom at Kranjska Gora last season; however, her highest finish this year is 18th at Semmering.

Hurt has never participated in a World Championship Slalom before, and this will be her first World Championship.

Alpine Canada Alpin – Women

Laurence St-Germain

St-Germain, the current slalom World Champion, successfully defended his title in Méribel in 2023. She has competed in six of seven World Cup slaloms this season, despite battling injuries. She was a first-team All-American at the University of Vermont. She is currently ranked 14th in the season slalom standings, and her best result was seventh at Killington.

She has participated in three previous World Championship slaloms (2019, 2021, 2023), achieving a sixth-place finish in 2019 before securing the title in 2023.

Ali Nullmeyer

Nullmeyer, a former All-American at Middlebury College, has been restricted to four of the seven World Cup slaloms this season due to her ongoing back pain. She achieved her highest finish in the final race prior to the World Championships, placing 13th in Courchevel. Presently, she occupies the 27th position in the season’s slalom standings.

She has participated in three World Championships (2017, 2021, 2023), with her highest finish of 12th in 2023 at Méribel.

Amelia Smart

Smart, a five-time All-American and two-time All-Academic Team selection at the University of Denver, has participated in all seven World Cup slaloms this season. Her highest finish was 17th in Flachau, and she is currently ranked 33rd in the season slalom standings.

She has participated in three previous World Championships (2019, 2021, 2023), with her highest finish in 2019 being 22nd.

The Concluding Chapter in Saalbach

The women’s competition will conclude with an intense 2025 Saalbach World Championship Slalom. There is a deep and competitive field, and the battle for gold remains wide open. Ljutić is the most dominant slalom skier of the season, but Shiffrin, Rast, and Dürr are all established contenders.

The outcome of slalom racing is consistently unpredictable, as even the slightest errors can have a substantial impact. The next World Champion will be determined by precision, adaptability, and nerves of steel on the challenging Ulli Maier course. The final women’s race of these championships is expected to be a thrilling battle to the finish.

When and How to View

The initial run commences at 3:45 a.m. Eastern and 12:45 a.m. Pacific Time, while the subsequent run commences at 7:15 a.m. Eastern and 4:15 a.m. Pacific Time.

The race is available for live viewing or replay on Ski and Snowboard Live for audiences in the United States.

The World Cup is available for viewing by sports enthusiasts in Canada on CBC Sports.

Daily Program and Initial Run Start List

About the Author: Peter Lange

About The Author 

Lange is the present Publisher of Ski Racing Media. Nevertheless, he derive pleasure from coaching athletes of all ages and abilities for a total of 38 seasons. Lange’s experience encompasses the management of Team America and the collaboration with National Team athletes from the United States, Norway, Austria, Australia, and Great Britain. For the two seasons that the program was in existence, he served as the Head University Coach of the US Ski Team.Lange asserts, “Ultimately, the true value of this sport is the relationships you establish; they are invaluable.”