Mikaela Shiffrin’s Thrilling Comeback: Leads Slalom in Åre, Sweden

GEPA pictures

On March 10th, after the first run of slalom in Åre, Sweden, the returning Mikaela Shiffrin leads the field of women’s World Cup skiers. After she fell, racing downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, ski fans missed her excellence, but she delivered above their expectations in today’s morning run.

While her lead is only (-0.02) over Switzerland’s Michelle Gisin, seeing her return to the top of the leaderboard was exciting for all the members of the ski racing community. Only (+0.11) behind is Croatian Zrinka Ljutic. Nine women are within a second of the season’s discipline leader, Shiffrin. The fastest ten are separated by only (+1.06).

The only woman with any mathematical chance of overtaking Shiffrin in the battle for the season’s slalom title, Germany’s Lena Dürr, finished the morning ranked fourth but only (+0.24) behind the American leader.

Today marked the highly anticipated return of Stifel US Ski Team’s Mikaela Shiffrin to competition. She has been missing from the competition since January 26th, and fans have been waiting to see how long it would take her to knock the competition rust off her slalom. However, it must have happened during warm-up because she appeared to immediately be on top of her game.

After a season filled with challenging weather, the conditions for the last regular-season race of the 2023/24 Alpine World Cup were perfect. The Störtloppsbacken race slope in Åre Sweden was under blue skies. Although it is not a steep race slope, flatter slopes are hard to find speed on and gain separation. It is easy to go directly to the gate but difficult to set the ski edge before the ski edge it is across the fall line. However, Shiffrin was able to do it beautifully. It was weather and slope for her return.

North Americans

After Shiffrin delivered her run, veteran Paula Moltzan, the next of the Stifel US Ski Team members to attack, skied well throughout the run and ended the morning in 7th (+0.95) behind the leader.

Two Canadians followed her, with Ali Nullmeyer leading the charge. Crossing the line (+1.49) slower than Shiffrin, she secured the 19th position after the morning run. Meanwhile, her teammate, reigning World Champion Laurence ST-Germain, is battling for a spot in the World Cup finals, finishing (+2.35) behind and currently holding the 28th first run rank.

Unfortunately, Stifel US Ski Team’s AJ Hurt, who earned a podium in both slalom and giant slalom this season, delivered a blistering first sector only to find trouble in the second sector and nearly stopped. She will not qualify for either the second run or the World Cup slalom finals.

The next North American to ski was Canadian Amelia Smart who continues to show consistent form. She ends the morning run ranked 22nd (+1.96). Her teammate, Arianne Forget, skied her first World Cup slalom run but missed qualifying for the second run.

Additionally, US independent SYNC Team member Lila Lapanja missed qualifying after skiing her final World Cup run of her season.

After the first run, seven women with bibs above 30 could qualify for the second run. The fastest was Germany’s Emma Aicher, 11th (+1.09). France’s Marion Chevrier, 30th (+2.47), was the last to do so, revealing a small time separation among the top 30.

Top 30 first-run results and analysis of the fastest three and other top 30 North Americans

Analysis of the fastest three and other top 30 North Americans