Mikaela Shiffrin sets World Cup skiing record with 87th win

Mikaela Shiffrin. GEPA pictures.

ÅRE, Sweden – Mikaela Shiffrin delivered her 87th World Cup victory with a (-0.92) advantage. After dominating the first run, she provided an incredible final run and set a new all-time World Cup win record.

Today was her 53rd slalom victory, fifth of the season. She will arrive at the World Cup finals with the overall, giant slalom and slalom season titles.

Sharing perhaps the most significant World Cup podium of all time was Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener in second and Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson in third. Undoubtedly, they will never forget the moment.

“The best feeling is to ski on the second run when of course you want to win, you have a lead so you have to be sort of be smart but also, I just wanted to be fast, too, and ski the second run like its own race,” Shiffrin said.

“I did exactly that and that is amazing.”

“It’s nice to race today. After such an incredible day yesterday, I feel like no pressure,” Shiffrin said after the opening run.

The victory gave Shiffrin the outright record 12 years to the day after her first race on the World Cup, as a 15-year-old at a GS in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic.

Åre has delivered a lot of Shiffrin history. It is where she won her first World Cup in December of 2012, it is where she locked up her second GS season title and it is where she matched Ingemar Stenmark for most World Cup victories. Åre is also where Shiffrin exceeded her shared record to stand alone as the winningest World Cup skier in history.

Shiffrin had matched Stenmark’s mark of 86 wins with victory in a giant slalom Friday.

“Pretty hard to comprehend,” Shiffrin said about the record.

After finishing the final run, the American crouched and rested her head on her knees. Her bother, Taylor Shiffrin, then came out and hugged her during the winners ceremony.

“My brother and sister-in-law are here and I didn’t know they were coming, that makes this so special,” Shiffrin said.

In her first race after having hand surgery, Stifel US Alpine member Paula Moltzan skied brilliantly and finished fourth. Moltzan’s former University of Vermont teammate Canadian World Champion Laurence St-Germain, finished one place behind in fifth.

Final Åre slalom results and analysis of the fastest three and other North Americans

Analysis of the fastest three and other North Americans

The Associated Press contributed to this report.