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US Alpine skiing sensation Mikaela Shiffrin will remember January 8, 2023, for a very long time. This Sunday, she tied Lindsey Vonn for the most wins in the women's division when she won her 82nd World Cup race at Kranjska Gora.
Although setting records is enjoyable, Shiffrin doesn't want her efforts to be directed in their sole pursuit. Speaking to reporters, she said:
“I’m going to keep taking it step by step."
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Mikaela Shiffrin wins 82nd World Cup race
With a combined time of 1:52.53, the 27-year-old easily prevailed, earning her 82nd World Cup triumph. She won both of her contests, leaving her competitors in the dust.
Mikaela Shiffrin was the first skier on the course for the morning run, and she led Federica Brignone, who followed closely, by around a quarter of a second. The winner from the previous day, Valérie Grenier, finished third.
The two-time Olympic champion now has the chance to surpass Ingemar Stenmark's all time record of 86 victories in Flachau, Austria. She would move up to second place overall to take the lead among women with Vonn. Speaking about Stenmark's record, she humbly said:
“If I get there [86 wins] I hope that it doesn't feel like a relief. It would be such a shame to feel relieved about 86 victories because then it’s over. I should just celebrate whatever comes for the next races and the rest of my career as I don’t want to ruin it by chasing some record that probably shouldn’t be broken anyway."
Break and Return to Skiing
The Colorado native took a break from the sport in 2020 after her father's passing.
After returning to the sport, she sustained a back injury in 2021, and for the remainder of the season, her form was inconsistent.
Mikaela Shiffrin was touted to have a good chance at gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Her DNFs in the giant slalom and slalom, ninth place in the super-G, and lack of a medal in the downhill and combined races were considered somewhat shocking.
Shiffrin and Vonn now both have 20 more victories than Annemarie Moser-Pröll of Austria, who is third with 62 victories on the list of female skiers with the most wins.
Lindsey Vonn, who was frequently injured, needed 395 races to accumulate her 82 victories; Shiffrin did it in just 233. Shiffrin has plenty of time to continue competing and winning races.
Women with the most World Cup victories
- Lindsey Vonn, United States, 82 (2001-19)
- Mikaela Shiffrin, United States, 82 (2012-23)
- Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria, 62 (1969-80)
- Vreni Schneider, Switzerland, 55 (1984-95)
- Renate Gotschl, Austria, 46 (1993-2009)
- Anja Parson, Sweden, 42 (1998-2012)
- Marlies Schild, Austria, 37 (2001-14)
- Katja Seizinger, Germany, 36 (1989-98)
Shiffrin's success comes nearly a year after an underwhelming showing at the Beijing Olympics, where she took part in six races but failed to bring home a medal.
Where to watch Shiffrin next?
On January 10, Mikaela Shiffrin will have another shot. She will now go to Flachau, Austria, for the legendary night slalom competition in an effort to break Vonn's record. She is only outmatched by Ingemar Stenmark, who had 86 career victories.
American viewers may see Shiffrin ski live on NBC and Peacock. The eight domestic Alpine Ski World Cup competitions in 2023 will all be broadcast on NBC platforms.
Live streaming of all FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events is available in Europe on the Eurosport and discovery+ websites.
