Alpine Skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin Wins 1st World Cup Overall Title
Shiffrin adds to her ultra impressive collection of scalps, winning her first big crystal globe.
Mikaela Shiffrin Celebrates In Aspen
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
At the age of 22, U.S. ski prodigy Mikaela Shiffrin has achieved what most racers spend their entire lives chasing. She's an Olympic gold medalist, a three-time world champion, a four-time World Cup slalom winner and now she's the overall FIS Alpine Ski World Cup champion.
After her sweep of the penultimate races in Squaw Valley, last weekend, Shiffrin entered the week of World Cup Finals in Aspen, Colorado, with an almost insurmountable lead in the overall standings. She had a 378-point lead over her only competition for the World Cup crown, Ilka Stuhecof Slovenia.
To kick things off in Aspen, Shiffrin sat out for the speed races in the warm, spring snow conditions. Stuhec went on to win the last downhill race and finished second in the Super-G, cutting Shiffrin's advantage to 198 points.
Suffering severe exhaustion, however, Stuhec announced on Friday that she wouldn't race the season's concluding slalom on Saturday, effectively relinquishing the overall title to Shiffrin with two races remaining.
The whopping 15.4-pound crystal globe awarded to the overall World Cup winner denotes the best skier over the course of an entire season, a total of 37 races this winter. Given the consistency it requires over five long months of heavy competition, many consider it the greatest prize in skiing.
Mikaela Shiffrin
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
With her latest conquest, Shiffrin again wrote ski racing history as the youngest World Cup overall champion since Croatian skier Janica Kostelic in 2003. She's also only the fifth American to win the title, after legends Phil Mahre (1981–83), Tamara McKinney (1983), Bode Miller (2005, 2008) and Lindsey Vonn(2008–10, 2012).
Shiffrin's talent is well-known, as is her focus, commitment and discipline. Winning the World Cup overall was just a matter of time for her. We have a strong feeling there's plenty more to come.
She’s just a great skier. I think in her skiing, the basics — the ABCs — is the most impressive thing about her performance. That’s why she’s going be consistent for many years. It’s very solid.
Defending World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
"She's unique — a very devoted person. It's a joy to watch her ski-dance. If she stays healthy, she's capable of a lot more in speed," says Janica Kostelić, herself a three-time overall World Cup winner who clinched her first globe at 19 and retired at 25.
I’m really impressed by Mikaela’s consistency year after year. And she’s only 22. If you look at her results, it’s hard to believe that she still has most of her career ahead of her. I can only say hats off!
As icing on the cake, Shiffrin also has the chance to clinch her career-first Giant Slalom globe on Sunday. She currently trails the reigning world champion, Tessa Worley of France, by a mere 80 points.
This book is certain to have a sequel, and 2018 will be an Olympic one. Stay tuned for many more successes in the Shiffrin saga!
