Mikaela Shiffrin continues her impressive dominance in the slalom events of the Olympic season, securing yet another victory with a substantial lead. The American skier achieved her 105th World Cup win in Courcheval, France, widening the gap between her and her competitors.
Shiffrin maintained her lead throughout the race and crossed the finish line in 1 minute 42.50 seconds, leaving Swiss skier Camille Rast 1.55 seconds behind and German racer Emma Aicher 1.71 seconds adrift. This victory marked Shiffrin’s fourth consecutive win this season and her fifth consecutive win including the final race of the previous season.
As a result of their performance, Rast and Aicher climbed to third and fourth place in the overall standings, respectively. Shiffrin tops the leaderboard with 558 points, followed by Alice Robinson (394), Rast (343), and Aicher (319). Laurence St-Germain of St.-Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que., secured the top Canadian position by finishing 13th, trailing Shiffrin by 3.97 seconds. Meanwhile, Amelia Smart of Invermere, B.C., claimed the 23rd position out of 24 finishers.
Shiffrin’s victories this season consistently exceeded a full second, with three of them surpassing 1.5 seconds: 1.66 in Levi, Finland; 1.23 in Gurgl, Austria; and 1.57 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. The average margin of victory for Shiffrin this season stands at 1.5025 seconds.
Expressing her determination, Shiffrin stated, “I’m just pushing. I’m not asking questions. Sometimes you just got to take it and roll with it. Lock in this feeling.”
In unfortunate turns of events, Lena Duerr of Germany and Lara Colturi, an Italian skier racing for Albania, faced challenges during the competition, impacting their standings. However, Wendy Holdener managed to secure a seventh-place finish despite a mishap during her first run, showcasing resilience in her performance.
Looking ahead, the women’s alpine skiing competition at the upcoming Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, promises to be a thrilling event, with Shiffrin aiming to build on her success from previous championships. Lindsey Vonn, the record-holder for World Cup victories, will be present at the upcoming event, competing in downhill and super-G races in Val d’Isere this weekend.
