Mikaela Shiffrin / GEPA pictures
Shiffrin crushes Courchevel night slalom, remains perfect this season
Mikaela Shiffrin delivered another dominant statement under the lights in Courchevel, overwhelming the women’s World Cup slalom field to stay perfect through four slalom races this season and extend her winning streak to five consecutive slalom victories dating back to last winter’s World Cup Finals.
Shiffrin won by a massive 1.55 seconds, finishing in 1:42.50, and once again separated herself decisively from the world’s best in a race shaped by warm snow, rising pressure, frequent lead changes, and dramatic movement through the standings.
Second run volatility reshapes the race
The second run completed the race but delivered no clarity until the final skier finished. With reversed start order and deteriorating conditions, the leader’s chair rotated repeatedly as skiers attacked a course that magnified mistakes.
Early benchmarks fell quickly, and momentum swung sharply as athletes pushed the limit under the lights. Italy’s Lara Della Mea briefly stabilized the race midway through the run before the pressure escalated dramatically among the final starters.
Lead changes define a chaotic night
The second run featured multiple lead changes, reflecting both the difficulty of the slope and the intensity of the format.
Ana Bucik Jogan, who skied first, set the opening benchmark. The lead then changed hands repeatedly as Lisa Höhager, Dzenifera Germane, and Della Mea each took turns in the leader’s chair. The momentum continued to swing late, with Katharina Truppe briefly moving into the lead before Emma Aicher edged ahead.
The constant reshuffling kept the outcome uncertain until Shiffrin’s final run.
Moltzan charges, Stifel U.S. Ski Team delivers
Paula Moltzan produced one of the defining runs of the night, blasting the fastest second run and charging from ninth to fifth, resetting the race with a commanding temporary lead and putting herself squarely into podium contention.
Moltzan’s run highlighted a strong second run for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team women, which was ultimately capped by Shiffrin’s closing performance.
Despite the softening snow and mounting pressure, Shiffrin still posted the fifth-fastest second run, finishing just 0.39 seconds behind Moltzan’s run-best time, underscoring how little she gave back while protecting and extending her advantage.
Rast answers late, podium takes shape
Rast answers late, podium takes shape
With four skiers remaining, Germany’s Emma Aicher delivered a composed and efficient run to move into the lead at the moment. Moments later, Lena Dürr straddled and did not finish, leaving Aicher still in the leader’s chair as the race narrowed.
Skiing second to last, reigning world champion Camille Rast responded under maximum pressure. Despite a costly mistake at the top of the pitch, Rast stayed aggressive, recovered through the rest of the course, and crossed the line 0.16 seconds ahead of Aicher, moving into the lead and securing no worse than second place with only Mikaela Shiffrin still waiting at the start. The result marked the fifth World Cup slalom podium of Rast’s career.
“When something like this happens, I always keep pushing,” Rast said. “I don’t like to give up — I never give up. After the big mistake I thought, ‘Oh no, everything is over,’ so when I saw the green light at the finish I was really, really happy.”
Rast has been battling a lingering hip injury since the preseason, making her recent form all the more significant.
“I’m not 100 percent,” she said. “I keep fighting with my hip injury. It’s not easy every day. Some days it’s better, some days it’s not. Today was good.”
Aicher continues breakout season with third
Aicher’s run ultimately locked in third place, earning the second World Cup slalom podium of her career both this season, just two days after claiming a second career downhill victory in St. Moritz.
“I’m actually really proud I could pull this off,” Aicher said. “Speed skiing on Sunday and then today — I’m just happy with the skiing and that I can build on it in every discipline.”
On a Courchevel slope that punished overaggression and magnified small errors, Aicher’s smooth technique and calm decision-making proved decisive, particularly as others faltered in the final group.
“I’ve trained a lot in the preseason and had many slalom days,” she said. “After the speed races I had a day off, and today I just had to trust the training, trust myself, and go enjoy.”
Big movers on the second run
Several athletes made massive gains as the standings reshuffled:
- Ana Bucik Jogan (SLO) — up 15 places
- Lisa Höhager (AUT) — up 13 places
- Dzenifera Germane (LAT) — up nine places
- Lara Della Mea (ITA) — up eight places
Their progress highlighted the value of a clean, aggressive second run on a demanding surface.
Canadian update
Laurence St-Germain led the Canadian contingent, finishing 13th, while Amelia Smart completed the race in 23rd. Both advanced cleanly through a second run that rewarded commitment and punished even small errors.
Shiffrin finishes it off
Starting last with a 0.83-second advantage, Shiffrin did exactly what champions do. She grew her margin through every sector, turning a volatile race into a rout.
“It was a tough second run,” Shiffrin said. “Some turns had big tracks and others were really good. It was hard to predict where it would be bumpy and where it was good to fly. Sometimes I had trouble staying on line, but I stayed disciplined and it worked out.”
Despite the conditions, she never relinquished control.
“This hill doesn’t let up,” she said. “You have to push, be really active, and let the mistakes pass because no run is perfect. I had moments where I didn’t think I was going to make it to the finish — and I just had to keep pushing.”
Why the gap mattered
Shiffrin credited her opening run for setting the tone.
“Having a big lead from the first run was very beneficial,” she said. “It only got harder after I went. It just kept getting harder and harder — super bumpy.”
She pointed to Moltzan’s performance as proof of the conditions.
“You look at Paula with a ripping second run,” Shiffrin said. “She still had to absolutely kill her run.”
Fatigue, focus, and momentum
The win came at the end of a demanding stretch of racing.
“These nine weeks have been such a big push,” Shiffrin said. “I’m pretty tired, but also kind of energized right now. Tonight was an amazing night. I just don’t ask questions — I take it and go with it.”
She emphasized the role of those around her.
“These are days when it’s maybe not totally the athlete — it’s the team around them,” Shiffrin said. “The work they’ve done has been phenomenal.”
Final results
- Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — 1:42.50
- Camille Rast (SUI) — +1.55
- Emma Aicher (GER) — +1.71
- Katharina Truppe (AUT) — +1.79
- Paula Moltzan (USA) — +1.82
What it means
The victory marked:
- Four slalom wins in four slalom starts this season
- Five consecutive slalom victories overall
- Shiffrin’s 68th career World Cup slalom win
- Her 93rd career World Cup slalom podium
In a race filled with chaos, pressure, and movement, Shiffrin once again stood alone — dominating the best in the world and skiing at a level that continues to redefine the standard in women’s slalom.
Race Results
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Run Analysis: Leaders & Other North Americans
About the Author: Peter Lange
