Mikaela Shiffrin, a name synonymous with dominance in alpine skiing, achieved a milestone on Sunday that many believed to be unattainable. Racing in the iconic Italian resort of Sestriere, the 29-year-old American became the first skier in history, male or female, to reach 100 World Cup wins. Her victory in the slalom was not just another feather in her cap but a testament to resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Shiffrin's triumphant performance saw her finish the course 0.61 seconds ahead of Croatia's Zrinka Ljutic, with teammate Paula Moltzan claiming third. After a flawless second run, Shiffrin collapsed to the snow, overwhelmed by the enormity of her achievement as a video montage of her career victories played on screens. Reflecting on the day, she said through tears, “Everybody has been so nice and supportive. I am so grateful… A lot of things had to go right for me—and wrong for others—but in the end, I did something right, too.”
Shiffrin’s path to this historic moment was anything but smooth. Early in the season, she endured a significant setback during the Stifel Killington Cup in Vermont. Leading the second leg of the giant slalom, Shiffrin crashed just before the finish line, resulting in a seven-centimeter puncture wound to her abdomen that tore both external and internal oblique muscles. The injury sidelined her for two months, forcing the reigning champion to grapple not just with physical healing but also the mental toll of returning to elite competition.
“It was a weird, gross, and painful injury,” Shiffrin shared in an interview, recalling a harrowing recovery process. Despite the challenges, she returned to racing in late January, determined to reclaim her form. Her comeback gained momentum at the World Championships in Saalbach earlier this month, where she won a record-tying 15th career medal, further solidifying her reputation as a living legend in her sport.
Shiffrin’s career trajectory has been nothing short of extraordinary. At just 16 years old, she claimed her first World Cup win in 2012 at Åre, Sweden. Over a decade later, she has become the most decorated alpine skier in history, breaking records once thought insurmountable. Last March, Shiffrin overtook Sweden’s legendary skier Ingemar Stenmark’s long-standing World Cup win record, solidifying her supremacy in the sport. Her 100 wins include dominating performances across all six World Cup disciplines—slalom (63), giant slalom (22), super-G (5), downhill (4), alpine combined (1), and parallel (5)—a feat unrivaled in skiing history.
With 155 World Cup podium finishes, Shiffrin has now matched Stenmark for the most in history, a mark that underlines her consistency and skill. She has won 16 World Cup trophies, five of which are the prestigious overall titles, and 18 major medals, comprising three Olympics and multiple World Championships, including 10 golds. Her hallmark discipline remains slalom, where she is a four-time world champion and holds the record for the most World Cup wins in a single discipline.
Shiffrin’s build-up to this historic moment was marked by undeniable highs and sobering lows. Following her injury in November, she missed two months before returning to competition in late January. She started cautiously, shaking off rust with a 10th-place finish in her first race back—a slalom—and later claimed gold in the team combined event at the World Championships in Saalbach. Despite these successes, her resilience was truly tested after disappointing results in the Sestriere giant slalom races leading up to her 100th win. On Saturday, she failed to qualify for a second giant slalom run for the first time in over a decade.
However, Sunday’s slalom provided the perfect opportunity for redemption. Shiffrin described slalom as her “comfort zone,” the discipline that has both defined her career and delivered her first World Cup victory. “It feels like coming full circle,” she said after her victory, crediting the event with rekindling her confidence.
Shiffrin’s impact extends far beyond her illustrious stats. Marking her 100th win, she partnered with the Share Winter Foundation, an organization dedicated to making ski and snowboard programs accessible to underserved communities. Shiffrin announced a campaign to raise $100,000 to support youth involvement in snow sports.
“I know that not everyone is blessed with the good fortune I have come across,” Shiffrin acknowledged. “Over the years, the lack of accessibility for a diverse group of people in winter sports has turned it into a very non-diverse community. Helping Share Winter bring more kids to the mountain is far bigger than me winning 100 races.”
Constance Beverley, CEO of the Share Winter Foundation, commended Shiffrin’s ability to use her historic achievements for a greater good. “The willingness to take this moment and transform it into a movement, to share this win in an effort to create opportunity—that’s what makes Mikaela Shiffrin the greatest of all time,” said Beverley.
The victory in Sestriere capped an emotional and tumultuous season for Shiffrin, who admitted that the weeks leading up to the race had been challenging. After a disappointing giant slalom performance at Sestriere earlier in the weekend, she leaned on her favorite event—slalom—to regain control.
"Today, a lot of things had to go right for me," Shiffrin reflected. "It was scary and nerve-wracking, but slalom is where I feel most at home."
