Camille Rast (SUI) / GEPA pictures
Mikaela Shiffrin aims for her third straight slalom victory of the Olympic season — and her only home-snow slalom of the year.
The women’s World Cup slalom tour arrives on U.S. snow Sunday as Copper Mountain hosts the third slalom of the 2026 Olympic season. The Stifel Copper Cup presented by United Airlines replaces the traditional Killington stop and stands as the only women’s technical World Cup racing in the United States this winter.
With Saturday’s giant slalom opening the weekend and two more GS races next week in Tremblant, Sunday’s slalom anchors a rare four-race North American tech swing at a key moment in the Olympic season.
Shiffrin Targets a Third Straight Slalom Victory
Mikaela Shiffrin (Stifel U.S. Ski Team) enters Copper with two wins in two slaloms, opening her Olympic season with a commanding victory in Levi and following it with another strong performance in Gurgl.
She now looks to extend that momentum with her third straight slalom victory of the season — and she gets the chance to do it on home snow. Copper brings mild terrain, altitude, and a Colorado crowd behind her as she continues to build her Olympic-year form.
Young Challengers Push the Pace
A rising group of technical skiers continues to challenge the top of the field.
Lara Colturi (ALB) — Second in Levi and second again in Gurgl. Confident, powerful, and the strongest early-season challenger to Shiffrin.
Camille Rast (SUI) — Third in Gurgl and the reigning 2025 slalom World Champion.
Emma Aicher (GER) — Third in Levi, earning her first World Cup slalom podium; ninth in Gurgl. A true multi-discipline threat.
Zrinka Ljutić (CRO) — Last year’s slalom globe winner; sharp section speed in both Levi and Gurgl.
Katharina Truppe (AUT) — Sixth in Gurgl with excellent second-run timing.
Copper’s mild terrain forces athletes to work hard to generate speed, and the altitude tests fitness — a double challenge for the entire field.
Slalom Podiums So Far This Season
| Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levi | Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) | Lara Colturi (ALB) | Emma Aicher (GER) |
| Gurgl | Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) | Lara Colturi (ALB) | Camille Rast (SUI) |
Top Seven on the Women’s World Cup Start List — Slalom
- 1 — Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — 634 pts
- 2 — Camille Rast (SUI) — 560 pts
- 3 — Wendy Holdener (SUI) — 531 pts
- 4 — Zrinka Ljutić (CRO) — 506 pts
- 5 — Lena Dürr (GER) — 499 pts
- 6 — Katharina Liensberger (AUT) — 492 pts
- 7 — Lara Colturi (ALB) — 386 pts
Stifel U.S. Ski Team on Home Snow
The American roster brings real depth and several compelling storylines into Sunday’s slalom.
- Mikaela Shiffrin — Winner of the first two slaloms; targeting her third straight.
- Paula Moltzan — Fifth in Gurgl with dynamic second-run execution.
- AJ Hurt — World Cup slalom podium finisher with top-end speed.
- Elisabeth Bocock — Promising young American aiming to convert GS excellence into slalom momentum.
- Nina O’Brien — Veteran World Cup athlete building power through the Colorado block.
- Liv Moritz — Aggressive in sections; chasing her first second run of the season.
- Annika Hunt — Making her second career World Cup slalom start.
- Kjersti Moritz — Making her first World Cup slalom start on Sunday; Saturday’s GS was her debut, and this will be the first World Cup where the Moritz twins race together.
With Copper hosting the only women’s slalom in the United States this season, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team enters with a rare early-season home opportunity.
Canada Looks for Its Breakthrough
Canada is still searching for the slalom result it is capable of, but the potential remains strong.
- Laurence St-Germain — 2023 World Champion, working back into form.
- Ali Nullmeyer — Technically smooth and dangerous when she finds the line.
- Amelia Smart — Capable of top-20 skiing.
- Arianne Forget — Rising Canadian talent building confidence on the World Cup stage.
- Kiki Alexander — Young and aggressive
Copper’s mild terrain and altitude reward initiative and fitness — a profile that fits several Canadian skiers well.
Why Copper Matters
This slalom carries real Olympic-season importance:
- It is Shiffrin’s only slalom on home snow this year.
- It is the only women’s technical World Cup event in the United States this season.
- It is the only slalom a four-race North American tech block: Copper GS, Copper SL, and Tremblant’s GS doubleheader.
- It is an early-season selection marker with Olympic quotas and national nominations already underway.
- It debuts a new U.S. slalom venue, adding natural uncertainty.
Copper’s mild terrain requires athletes to push to build speed, and the altitude demands fitness—a double challenge that will reward fitness from the first gate to the last.
Course setters — First run: Sascha Sorio (SWE) Second run: Markus Lenz (GER)
Women’s Saturday Race
The women’s slalom is set for Sunday, Nov. 30. Run one begins at 12:00 p.m. EST / 9:00 a.m. PST, followed by run two at 3:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. PST. Fans in Great Britain can tune in at 17:00 for the first run and 20:00 for the second.
How to Watch
United States: Live coverage on Outside TV (free)
Canada: Stream on CBC Sports.
Great Britain: Stream on Discovery+
North American Women Starters in Levi
(WCSL = World Cup Start List rank. FIS Point Rank is noted for athletes not in the top 30 WCSL.)
- Mikaela Shiffrin, WCSL 1st, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy, Atomic
- Paula Moltzan, WCSL 8th, Stifel USST, University of Vermont Ski and Snowboard Club
- Laurence St-Germain, WCSL 19th, Alpine Canada Alpin, University of Vermont, Mont Sainte-Anne
- Ali Nullmeyer, WCSL 25th, Alpine Canada Alpin, Middlebury College, GMVS, Atomic
- AJ Hurt, WCSL 36th, FIS Rank 24th, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, HEAD
- Amelia Smart, WCSL 40th, FIS Rank 28, Alpine Canada Alpin, Windermere, University of Denver, Atomic
- Elisabeth Bocock, FIS Rank 37th, Stifel USST, Rowmark Ski Academy
- Nina O’Brien, WCSL 53rd, FIS Rank 47, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy
- Liv Moritz, FIS Rank 47, Stifel USST, University of Denver, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
- Arianne Forget, FIS Rank 52, CAN, Belle Neige, Atomic
- Kiki Alexander, FIS Rank 57, ACA, Sunshine Alpine Racers
- Annika Hunt, FIS Rank 85, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy
- Kjersti Moritz, FIS Rank 112, Stifel USST, Middlebury College, Ski and Snowboard Club
About the Author: Peter Lange
