Shiffrin & Moltzan Lienz GEPA/Patrick Steiner

Goodness gracious, Mikaela Shiffrin left the Courchevel night slalom and went to work to improve. She seems to have achieved the impossible; the best got even better. Skiing with bib seven and her US Stifel teammate, Paula Moltzan, in the finish with a significant lead, Shiffrin delivered a run that left no doubt about her dominance. Moltzan was a rocket with a few testing bobbles typical of skiing at the limit, but Shiffrin was faster (-1.14).

Shiffrin duplicated the near perfection of yesterday’s first run, but this time, it was in the event where she had most of her success. When Shiffrin delivers, her ability to see the timing of the course and execute with precision is unmatched. It is a product of her decades of commitment to every detail of the sport.

“It’s definitely a push today,” Shiffrin said. “I took the last four days of training and then straight to the race yesterday, and so I knew today would be six days in a row; it was going to be maybe a little bit tiring. But I wanted to feel comfortable with the skiing.”

Including Shiffrin’s dominance, it was an excellent morning for Stifel US Ski Team fans. Seeing two American flags at the top of the leaderboard was terrific. It was great seeing Moltzan deliver the run fans knew was coming. It is a privilege to see Shiffrin at her best. The two women earned their first run success.

Shiffrin said, “I had such a good feeling. So super happy with that, and so happy for Paula as well, just like great skiing.”

Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson will go into the afternoon with the third fastest time (+1.32) and the Swiss veteran Michelle Gisin is sitting in 4th (+1.39). However, the morning’s biggest surprise came from Slovakian superstar Petra Vlhová. The winner of two 2023-24 season slaloms struggled to find her speed and trails Shiffrin by (+2.41) in 10th. Vlhová struggled during the morning GS run yesterday but returned with a beautiful display of skiing in the afternoon.

Canada’s Ali Nullmeyer has been exceptional this season and today she was good but not her best, finishing the first run 15th but well off the leader’s pace (+2.75). Her teammate, Amelia Smart, continues to look for her top speed, but being talented, she did qualify 24th (+3.46).

Unfortunately, the emerging Stifel US Ski Team racer AJ Hurt experienced difficulty during the first run, straddled, and did not finish.

Eight women with start numbers above 30 could qualify for the second run. The fastest was bib 33 Italy’s Lara Della Mea, 14th (+2.74). The last to do so was the final racer of the morning, bib 69 France’s Caitlin Mcfarlane 30th (+3.89).

Results of the top 30 and analysis of the fastest three and other qualified North Americans

Analysis of the fastest three and other qualified North Americans