Shiffrin Wins Last World Cup Ski Race Of 2023 By Huge Margin Of 2.34 Seconds For 93rd Career Win

LIENZ, Austria — Mikaela Shiffrin always seems to lift the bar in the final World Cup event of the year.

Even by her standards, the American standout finished 2023 with an eye-catching performance, winning a slalom race by a large margin of 2.34 seconds on Friday for her 93rd career victory.

It was Mikaela’s fifth win in the classic year-ending slalom, alternating between the Austrian resorts of Lienz and Semmering.

“The last couple of years, we really built from the beginning of the season to this point, and somehow it clicks, I guess,” said Shiffrin, who missed this race in 2015 due to a knee injury and again in 2021 due to coronavirus testing positive.

However, it’s no secret that she peaks between Christmas and New Year’s.

“In skiing, it’s always just like: be relentless with the work, do the job,” said the five-time overall World Cup winner from the United States.

Mikaela finished ahead of Germany’s Lena Duerr, who produced the quickest timings in both runs on the Schlossberg course. Michelle Gisin of Switzerland finished third, 0.11 back.

“It was a very special day for me today.” “I felt great on the skis, so I’m really happy,” said Shiffrin, who also won the giant slalom on the same hill on Thursday. “It’s a very nice feeling right now.”

The margin of victory in Friday’s women’s World Cup slalom was the seventh-largest in history. Shiffrin set four other records, including the Aspen, Colorado, race record of 3.07 seconds in November 2015.

Paula Moltzan of the United States, who was second after the first leg, straddled a fence and did not complete her last run.

Shiffrin Wins Last World Cup Ski Race Of 2023 By Huge Margin Of 2.34 Seconds For 93rd Career Win

Olympic champion Petra Vlhova, Shiffrin’s biggest slalom adversary, finished fifth, 3.24 seconds back. Last week, the Slovakian defeated Shiffrin in a night slalom in France.

Shiffrin, seeking a record-extending 56th career win from 107 slalom appearances, controlled the initial run ahead of Moltzan and set herself up for a second win in two days.

Shiffrin led Moltzan by 1.14 seconds after a faultless first run down the Schlossberg circuit.

Shiffrin also built a significant lead in Thursday’s GS, where she won her 92nd career race with a very conservative second run. Despite the hectic schedule this week, there was no holding back in the afternoon.

“It’s a push today,” Shiffrin remarked following her first run. “I had taken the last four days of training and then went straight to the race yesterday, so I knew today would be six days in a row, which would be a little tiring.” But I wanted to be at ease with the skiing.”

Moltzan set the quickest time in the first sector, even beating Shiffrin by 0.07 seconds, but she was halted halfway down her run when she leaned back, and her ski tips flew up in the air before quickly regaining her rhythm.

In the final run, Moltzan strengthened her lead over Duerr before losing time at the subsequent splits. Near the end of her run, she straddled a gate.

“The way she skied the first run was just fantastic.” And it’s bittersweet today,” Shiffrin explained.

Shiffrin and Moltzan won a slalom in another Austrian resort, Semmering, a year ago. It was the first result for women in the United States in more than 51 years.

On January 6-7, the women’s World Cup continues with a GS and a slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

Shiffrin Wins Last World Cup Ski Race Of 2023 By Huge Margin Of 2.34 Seconds For 93rd Career Win

Mikaela, an accomplished alpine skier from the United States, has established herself as one of the most successful athletes in the sport.

With numerous World Cup victories and Olympic medals to her name, Shiffrin is widely recognized for her exceptional skill and dominance on the slopes.

Her precision, agility, and mental toughness have set her apart as a force to be reckoned with in the world of alpine skiing, solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the sport.

SOURCE – (AP)