Shiffrin Could Still Make Sporting History this Weekend

30th December 2022

Last modified on January 7th, 2023

The 27-year-old American remains just one victory away from equalling the great Lindsey Vonn’s record for the most World Cup victories by a female alpine ski racer. She came 6th on Saturday in Slovenia but goes again on Sunday. UPDATED

The women’s race circuit moved to Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, for two giant slaloms on Saturday & Sunday.

Shiffrin failed to equal Vonns record on Saturday after she came 6^th in the giant slalom.

Shiffrin stood fifth after the opening run, but then had the 18th-fastest second run.

It ended a five-race winning run for Shiffrin and she remains on 81 Wolrd Cup victories, one under Vonn’s number of 82.

Shiffrin could match Vonn in another giant slalom scheduled for the same course on Sunday.

“You always have to have patience accomplishing anything,” said Shiffrin after the race.

“And I’m not maybe the most patient person, but in the key moments I have it because what are you going to do?

“Now the streak is over and we just go back to square one and keep fighting for the top step of the podium.”

The first women’s @KranjskaGora Giant Slalom race is the book and it’s been super excited!!!!
1️⃣ @valeriegrenier7 first WC win
2️⃣ @BassinoMarta 7th World Cup podium in a row
3️⃣ @PetraVlhova 7th World Cup podium this season #fisalpine pic.twitter.com/fXXx8qoQcD
— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) January 7, 2023

Shiffrin is already, unquestionably, one of the greatest alpine ski racers of all time.

Now, she is just one win away from equalling her compatriot Lindsey Vonn’s record.

Last week she took a hat trick of victories in Semmering, Austria.

Love ❤️ has officially been consolidated between @MikaelaShiffrin and Semmering 🥰 #fisalpine pic.twitter.com/BO2NWcsCDm
— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) December 29, 2022

It was a phenomenal achievement:

Hat trick in Semmering
50th World Cup slalom win
80th World Cup victory
4th consecutive wins across 3 different disciplines

And on Wednesday under the lights in Zagreb, Croatia, in tricky conditions, she made that 81 World Cup wins and 51 World Cup slalom wins.

She did it in impressive style.

She took the victory in the slalom by finishing more than three quarters of a second ahead of runner-up Petra Vlhova of Slovakia.

Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden was third.

https://www.facebook.com/usskiandsnowboard/posts/pfbid0WoSJ8wb7WUUD1jdWsjUTx1AdgQ2ivr5T1ZqEiQYeHYULmLabVwNDm1wnNHTKowaol

“I’m incredibly happy,” Shiffrin said.

“It was really my best skiing, both runs. Nothing less than the best is going to work.”

Lindsey Vonn retired from racing in 2019 with 82 wins, the most by a female alpine racer.

Shiffrin matching the record has been coming and Vonn, herself, has said she is sure Shiffrin will overtake her.

“The best skier that has ever lived in my eyes,” she said.

“She will break my record of World Cup wins very quickly and will become the greatest skier in history.”

Only one skier has more victories.

The great Swede, Ingemar Stenmark, has 86 wins.

Once Shiffrin has achieved what many believe is the inevitable, she will be just a few more wins from becoming the greatest – female or male – and achieving legendary status in the ski racing world.

Looking ahead to Stenmark’s record much depends on whether she decides to race downhill at each opportunity this season.

If she does, then the likeliest first opportunity for her to break the 86-win mark of Stenmark will be in St Anton, Austria, on 12th-15th January.

If Shiffrin doesn’t decide to race the downhill, then the next races at Cortina in Italy from 18th to 22nd January that will likely present the opportunity for her to overtake Stenmark.

Here on PlanetSKI we’ll keep you updated…