Mikaela Shiffrin made history once again on November 16! She secured her 98th career World Cup victory in the first slalom race of the season. This win puts her in a prime position to reach a milestone of 100 victories in front of a home crowd. While Shriffin has one more race in Austria next week, she could hit the 100-win mark during races in Killington, Vermont, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

As a Colorado native, she considers Killington almost a hometown venue, having trained nearby at Burke Mountain Academy during her teenage years. After establishing a solid lead in her first run, she maintained her focus and skill in the second, finishing 0.79 seconds ahead of Austria’s Katharina Liensberger, the 2021 slalom world champion.

With this victory, Shiffrin extended her lead as the skier with the most World Cup wins, outpacing both male and female competitors, and showing that she’s as dominant as ever in the sport. However, Mikaela Shiffrin’s biggest rival in slalom, Olympic champion Petra Vlhova, was notably absent from the race. Shiffrin’s biggest rival , in slalom racing was missing from the competition.

Petra Vlhova is currently, in the process of recuperating from knee surgery; this has provided Shiffrin with an opportunity to showcase her talents in the absence of the competition she thrives on. Despite Shiffrin’s joy after the victory, she recognizes the challenges of attaining success without Vlhova’s competitive spirit driving her. “I’m going to miss those battles on the slope,” Shiffrin confessed, reflecting on how their rivalry has fueled their growth throughout the years. Vlhova’s absence has definitely been felt at Levi; their epic duels, on that course are truly missed.

Shiffrin has emphasized the change, in the atmosphere when Vlhova is not present in the race scene anymore. The absence of her rival does not escape Shiffrin’s attention even as she consistently showcases her performance Shiffrin nostalgically remembers their intertwined past at Levi and characterizes their relationship as really pretty cool” recognizing its influence, on her motivation.

“We’ve both pushed so hard to take the top spot at this race,” Shiffrin remarked while praising Vlhova’s performances as a consistent source of inspiration for her own efforts to improve. “Some of her recent runs are really the best I’ve ever seen on this slope, and it motivates me to try harder,” reflecting on the seasons dynamics. Shiffrin added, “We will be feeling her absence for sure.” Meanwhile Mikaela Shiffrin herself achieved victory following a period of recovery, from her injury.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s epic comeback after injury!

Over the races, in slalom skiing competitions Mikaela Shiffrin showed remarkable form by clinching victory in her last five events since the end of the previous season. Despite recovering from a knee injury sustained during a downhill mishap back, in January in Italy World Cup race where she lost balance post jump landing and collided with a gate before crashing into the fences. Fortunately for Shiffrin’s health status was not severely affected as there was no damage, to the ligaments; instead only a sprain, in the fibular ligaments needed attention.

Shiffrin did not race in Andorra that weekend, but her incredible consistency was on full display in Finnish Lapland, where she claimed her eighth victory in the traditional season-opening slalom. The winner of this race is awarded a reindeer. Since Tina Maze’s win in 2014, no skier other than Shiffrin or Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova has taken the top spot in this prestigious race.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn, making her return from retirement, is set to compete in speed events later in the season. The World Cup action continues next Saturday in Gurgl, Austria. Let’s see what is next for Mikaela Shiffrin!