Shiffrin Ties Record with 6th World Cup Ski Title
Mikaela Shiffrin clinched her sixth women's overall World Cup title, matching a long-standing record. She finished 11th in the final race, securing her historic achievement.
HAFJELL, Norway -- Mikaela Shiffrin has achieved a historic milestone by securing her sixth overall women's World Cup skiing title, equaling the record set by Austrian skier Annemarie Moser-Pröll.
In the season's final race on Wednesday, Shiffrin faced a challenge from rising German competitor Emma Aicher. All Shiffrin needed to do was finish in the top 15 during the giant slalom, a feat she accomplished before Aicher even commenced her second run.
Shiffrin ultimately finished 11th, while Aicher, who required a win and for Shiffrin to finish 16th or lower to claim her first title, finished in 12th place.
“It's quite emotional,” Shiffrin remarked. “This reflects an entire season of hard work and collaboration with my team. I want to acknowledge Emma for her outstanding skiing; it was a pleasure to watch her, especially during the first run.”
Shiffrin was in 17th place after the first run but rebounded by finishing first in the second run. She secured her title when the next two competitors finished behind her.
Upon realizing she had won, Shiffrin dropped to her knees and covered her face with her hand, visibly emotional as she asked her team, “Are you sure?” Her fiancé, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, the 2020 overall champion, was present to celebrate with her.
Aicher had initially put pressure on Shiffrin by skiing into third place during the first run, but she faltered early in her second run, losing critical speed. “There were moments when I thought, 'Emma can win this race, and I might not score points,'” Shiffrin said. “I'm very grateful right now because this could have turned out differently.”
At 31 years old, Shiffrin has now matched Moser-Pröll's six overall titles, achieved between 1971 and 1979. Moser-Pröll won five consecutive titles from 1971 to 1975, followed by a sixth in 1979. Shiffrin's titles came in three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019, and then back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.
With four overall titles, Lindsey Vonn ranks third among women, while Marcel Hirscher leads the men's list with eight overall titles.
This season has been remarkable for Shiffrin, who also secured her third Olympic gold medal in slalom at the Milan Cortina Games. She won nine out of ten World Cup slalom races this season and holds a record 110 victories across all disciplines, the most in World Cup history for both men and women. Ingemar Stenmark is the next closest, with 86 wins from the 1970s and 1980s.
Shiffrin expressed her enthusiasm for the future, stating, “I’m ready for another season—or maybe not yet—but I am excited to continue ski racing.”
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.