Look Back At Mikaela Shiffrin In 2023: From ESPY To 93 World Cup Wins

Mikaela Shiffrin has had a brilliant decade in the alpine skiing industry. The force to be reckoned with started as the youngest American ski racer to claim a national alpine crown in 2011, and this year, she stood to be the skier with the most World Cup wins ever. The 2-time Olympic gold medalist started her year with a record, performing at the World Cup, and the pattern persists as 2023 nears its end, cerebral as it was for her.

Right from world championships to claiming her 93rd World Cup win, Shiffrin’s journey has been one to watch. However, while each event has presented a spectacle, a few have carried moments for the books. The list below picks the most iconic races to remember from 2023.

An icon surpasses an icon

Mikaela Shiffrin’s year started with setting a new record in January at Kronplatz, Italy. The Olympian surpassed Lindsey Vonn to hold the record for most career women’s World Cup skiing wins. With a combined time of 2min 00.61sec, Shiffrin earned her 83rd win at age 27. The event was Mikaela’s fifth opportunity to break Vonn’s record, which was set roughly 6 years ago.

The unfathomable moment reached Shiffrin as she remained speechless. “It might take me a little bit to figure out what to say,” Shiffrin said. “I don’t know what to say right now.”

Mikaela Shiffrin rises to the top

Shiffrin’s second major success arrived in March when she overtook Ingemar Stenmark for most World Cup wins ever. The long-standing record was broken with Mikaela’s 87th win in a slalom race in Sweden. The Olympian recorded 1min 41.77sec to become the winningest alpine skier ever.

“No matter what I do, it doesn’t ever compare to what you achieved,” Shiffrin said speaking to Stenmark. “… for me, the biggest dream is to be mentioned in the same sentence as you,” she remarked.

The skiing icon receives recognition

In July, after her 14-win World Cup season, ESPY recognized her as the year’s top athlete. Mikaela became the second skier ever to win the award following 88 wins. “I just feel like it’s not important to break records or reset records. It’s important to set the tone for the next generation to inspire them,” the icon stated in her speech. A desire to win or not, Shiffrin’s passion has gotten her through a long path.

Mikaela Shiffrin remains unstoppable

Ever since setting a record in March, Mikaela Shiffrin has only trodden forward to claim more. More recently, the Olympian clinched an unprecedented 93rd World Cup win, a back-to-back one at that. On December 29, 2023, in Austria, Shiffrin finished the race with a huge margin of 2.34 seconds to clinch the win. The race marked Shiffrin’s seventh victory out of her last eight starts in Slalom.

Also Read: Watch: Mikaela Shiffrin’s Run To Lead at Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2023/24

“It’s a very nice feeling right now,” Shiffrin’s words read. With the continued momentum, the skier will look to clinch the Crystal Globe for the 6th time and hopefully equal yet another record.

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