Mikaela, the Great

With Mikaela Shiffrin, picking out just one highlight of her incredible career is almost impossible – but 11 March 2023 certainly stands out as an extraordinary day. It was the day the American won the slalom in Are and celebrated her 87th World Cup victory, surpassing the all-time record of Swede Ingemar Stenmark.

At the age of just 29, Shiffrin has five overall World Cup victories, seven world championship titles and two Olympic gold medals under her belt. In slalom, her favorite discipline with 62 victories, she remained unbeaten in her first four World Championships. Shiffrin has won in all disciplines and has also won all discipline rankings in the World Cup at least once apart from the downhill. She has pulverized one record after another – and still hasn't had enough: “You can't get used to winning. I'm as motivated today as I was when I was 16.”

Among there triumphs there have been setbacks, too. In February 2020, Shiffrin’s father Jeff died at the age of just 65, prompting the skier to suspend her season indefinitely. Her return to competition in Are, Sweden, was brought to a premature end due to the coronavirus pandemic. She got off to a strong start again in the winter of 2024/25, but at the end of November she crashed heavily in the giant slalom in Killington and suffered a wound to her stomach. Shiffrin will therefore have to postpone her next big moment until 2025: her 100th World Cup triumph, which is only one victory away.