After dominating the initial four World Cup slaloms this season, Mikaela Shiffrin narrowly upheld her winning streak as she prepares for the 2026 Olympics. Sunday’s night slalom in Austria, the season’s final event, proved challenging for the American ski star, despite her victory.
Shiffrin, trailing by half a second in the first run, managed to surpass world champion Camille Rast of Switzerland but criticized the race conditions on the Panorama course. She expressed concerns about safety, particularly for later-starting competitors, due to the deteriorating surface caused by recent mild weather.
Organizers attempted to improve the course by injecting water and salt before the race, but the surface continued to break during the afternoon run. Conditions slightly improved for the evening session, which took place 3 1/2 hours later when temperatures dropped.
Despite the challenging conditions, Shiffrin excelled in her final run. Initially falling behind in the first session, she posted the fastest time in the evening to secure her victory. This marks her fifth consecutive win of the season, matching her personal best start from 2018-19.
Shiffrin extended her lead in the slalom standings over second-placed Lara Colturi to 220 points. The World Cup calendar includes three more slaloms in January before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, followed by two in March.
In the competition, Laurence St-Germain of Canada finished 12th, while Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutic, the previous season’s winner, struggled and finished eighth. Shiffrin’s teammate Paula Moltzan faced challenges after an earlier crash but will continue competing in upcoming events.
The women’s World Cup will move to Slovenia for a giant slalom and slalom in Kranjska Gora next weekend. Shiffrin’s remarkable performance sets the stage for an exciting continuation of the season as she aims for further success in the upcoming Olympic Games.