Mikaela Shiffrin Inches Closer to Lindsey Vonn's Record With Career Win No. 80 and 15 of the Other Greatest Female Skiers of All-Time

Mikaela Shiffrin Inches Closer to Lindsey Vonn’s Record With Career Win No. 80 and 15 of the Other Greatest Female Skiers of All-Time

Mikaela Shiffrin is proving why she’s one of the greatest female skiers of all time with her performances at the 2022–23 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. She entered the 2022-23 season with 74 career victories at the World Cup – dating back to the 2012-13 season – and has already secured 6 more victories in 2022-23. 

With 80 career victories as of December 30, 2022, Shiffrin is just 2 wins away from tying Lindsey Vonn for the most all-time (among females). The two former teammates have dominated the World Cup like no one else – with Vonn at 82 and Shiffrin at 80, the next closest female is Annemarie Moser-Pröll at 62. 

4 of Shiffrin’s 6 victories this season have come in the past month. She closed out 2022 with four-straight wins – starting with the Super-G format in St. Moritz, Switzerland on December 18th. She then went 3-0 in Semmering, Austria – winning the Giant Slalom twice before snatching her 50th career slalom win.

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Mikaela Shiffrin is Among the Greatest Female Skiers of All-Time

Mikaela Shiffrin Inches Closer to Lindsey Vonn's Record With Career Win No. 80 and 15 of the Other Greatest Female Skiers of All-Time
via Instagram (@mikaelashiffrin)

Mikaela Shiffrin has already put together one of the most incredible skiing careers of all time – a career only a few skiers can match. She made her World Cup debut in 2011, her World Championships debut in 2013, and her Olympic debut in 2014. It didn’t matter where she was competing, Shiffrin won everywhere.

In addition to her 80 wins, Shiffrin has won four overall World Cup titles, 11 World Championships medals (6 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze), and three Olympic medals (2 gold, 1 silver) – despite her disappointing and medal-less performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Still, she has a lot of hardware. 

With four consecutive World Cup victories between December 18 and 28, Shiffrin needs just three more wins to stand alone atop the all-time leaderboard. While we wait for the next batch of events this season, let’s take a look at some of the other greatest female skiers of all-time – where will Mikaela Shiffrin rank? 

15. Lara Gut-Behrami

Lara Gut-Behrami is an active alpine skier from Switzerland who made her World Cup debut in 2007, World Championships debut in 2009, and Olympic debut in 2014. Her last win in the World Cup came on November 26, 2022 in the Giant Slalom – it was her first World Cup victory of the 2022-23 season. 

At 31 years old, Gut-Behrami now has 35 World Cup wins under her belt – as well as 67 podium finishes and an overall title in 2016. She has earned seven total medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze) at the World Championships and three medals (1 gold, 2 bronze) at the Winter Olympics – including a gold in 2022.. 

14. Rosi Mittermaier

Rosi Mittermaier is a retired alpine skier from Germany who made her World Cup debut in 1967, World Championships debut in 1968, and Olympic debut in 1968. Her racing career came to an end in 1976 after winning the World Cup overall title at just 25 years old  – it was the epitome of going out on top. 

Mittermaier retired with 10 World Cup wins and 41 podium finishes, but her 1976 overall title was her prized possession. To make that 1976 season that much sweeter, she famously won a gold medal at the 1976 World Championships and three more medals at the 1976 Olympics (including 2 gold and 1 bronze). 

13. Marlies Schild

Marlies Schild is a retired alpine skier from Austria who made her World Cup debut in 2001, World Championships debut in 2003, and Olympic debut in 2002. While she never won an overall title at the World Cup, she did win five discipline titles – including the Slalom title four times and the combined once. 

Schild earned 37 career World Cup victories and 68 podium finishes in her career. She never won an Olympic gold medal, but managed to take home three silver medals and one bronze medal. Schild also won two gold medals, three silver medals, and two bronze medals at the World Championships. 

12. Renate Götschl

Renate Götschl is a retired alpine skier from Austria who made her World Cup debut in 1992, World Championships debut in 1996, and Olympic debut in 1998. Her career came to an end in 2009 after her worst World Cup finish since her rookie season – she went down as one of the greatest to ever do it. 

Götschl retired with 46 World Cup victories (ranks 5th-most all-time), 10 World Cup discipline titles, and a World Cup overall title in 2000. She also found success at the Olympics – a silver medal and bronze medal in 2002 – and the World Championships – 3 gold medals, 4 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. 

11. Katja Seizinger

Katja Seizinger is a retired alpine skier from Germany who made her World Cup debut in 1989, World Championships debut in 1991, and Olympic debut in 1992. She’s the most successful German alpine skier ever. Her career came to a halt after injuring both knees while training ahead of the 1999 season.

She retired with 36 World Cup victories, 76 podium finishes, 9 discipline titles, and 2 overall titles – including 1996 and 1998, the year before her injury. She also added a gold medal and 3 silver medals at the World Championships, as well as 3 gold medals and 2 bronze medals at the Winter Olympics. 

10. Erika Hess

Erika Hess is a retired alpine skier from Switzerland who made her World Cup debut in 1978, World Championships debut in 1978, and Olympic debut in 1980. She made two Olympic appearances, winning a bronze medal (slalom) in 1980 and placing fifth in 1984 – she also placed seventh in the Giant Slalom. 

Hess retired with 31 World Cup victories and 76 podium finishes between 1978 and 1987 – she added 6 discipline titles and two overall titles (1982 and 1984). She was dominant at the World Championships, earning 6 gold medals between 1982 and 1987 – three of those gold medals came in 1982. 

9. Tina Maze

Tina Maze is a retired alpine skier from Slovenia who made her World Cup debut in 1999, World Championships debut in 2001, and Olympic debut in 2002. She made four appearances at the Winter Olympics and won four total medals as a result – including two gold medals and two silver medals. 

In addition to her success at the Olympics, Maze won nine total medals (four gold medals and five silver medals) at the World Championships. She was also dominant at the World Cup, where she earned 26 career wins, 81 podium finishes, two discipline titles (both in 2013), and an overall title in 2013. 

8. Deborah Compagnoni

Deborah Compagnoni is a retired alpine skier from Italy who made her World Cup debut in 1986, World Championships debut in 1989, and Olympic debut in 1992. She’s considered the greatest Italian female skier of all-time, having won three gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal at the Olympics. 

Compagnoni is also the winner of three gold medals at the World Championships – one coming in 1996 and two more coming in 1997. She retired with 16 career wins at the World Cup, as well as 44 podium finishes and one discipline title – Giant Slalom in 1997. Despite injuries, she never stopped competing. 

7. Hanni Wenzel

Hanni Wenzel is a retired alpine skier from Liechtensteiner who made her World Cup debut in 1972, World Championships debut in 1974, and Olympic debut in 1976. She made two Olympic appearances, winning two gold medals, a silver medal, and a bronze medal – her nation’s first ever Olympic medals. 

She was dominant at the World Championships between 1974 and 1982, winning two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. As for the World Cup, she earned herself 89 career podium finishes – including 33 victories, 5 discipline titles, and 2 overall titles (1978, 1980). She was consistently good.

6. Vreni Schneider

Vreni Schneider is a retired alpine skier from Switzerland who made her World Cup debut in 1984, World Championships debut in 1985, and Olympic debut in 1988. She made three Olympic appearances in her career, winning three gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal between 1988 and 1994. 

Schneider also won three gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal at the World Championships between 1985 and 1991 – coming in fourth place twice. She also earned 101 podium finishes at the World Cup – including 55 wins (4th-most all-time), 11 discipline titles, and 3 overall titles. 

5. Annemarie Moser-Pröll

Annemarie Moser-Pröll is a retired alpine skier from Austria who made her World Cup debut in 1969, World Championships debut in 1970, and Olympic debut in 1972. She made two Olympic appearances – she missed the 1976 Olympics – in her career and won a gold medal and two silver medals as a result.

Outside of the Olympics, Moser-Pröll won four gold medals and one bronze medal at the World Championships. A majority of her success, however, came at the World Cup – where she had 113 podium finishes, 62 wins (3rd-most all-time), 12 discipline titles, and six overall titles (including five consecutive). 

4. Anja Pärson

Anja Pärson is a retired alpine skier from Sweden who made her World Cup debut in 1998, World Championships debut in 1999, and Olympic debut in 2002. She appeared in three Olympics between 2002 and 2010, winning a gold medal (2006), silver medal, and four bronze medals in the process. 

Pärson was absolutely dominant at the World Championships, winning 13 total medals between 1999 and 2011 – including seven gold medals, two silver medals, and four bronze medals. She spent 15 seasons in the World Cup, earning 95 podium finishes, 42 wins, 5 discipline titles, and 2 overall titles (2004, 2005). 

3. Janica Kostelić

Janica Kostelić is a retired alpine skier from Croatia who made her World Cup debut in 1998, World Championships debut in 1999, and Olympic debut in 1998. She appeared in three Olympics during her career, winning six total medals (four gold medals and two silver medals) – most of which came in 2002.

Kostelić was no stranger to gold medals, winning another five golds at the World Championships – three of which came in 2005. While injuries cut her career short, she managed to secure 55 podium finishes, 30 wins, seven discipline titles, and three overall titles (2001, 2003, 2006) in eight seasons in the World Cup. 

2. Mikaela Shiffrin

Mikaela Shiffrin – the woman of the hour – is an active alpine skier from the United States who made her World Cup debut in 2011, World Championships debut in 2013, and Olympics debut in 2014. She has made three Olympic appearances during her career, winning three total medals (two gold, one silver). 

Shiffrin has dominated the World Championships since 2013, winning 11 total medals (six gold, two silver, and three bronze) – and counting. She has also dominated the World Cup, earning 127 podium finishes, 80 wins (2nd-most all-time), eight discipline titles, and four overall titles (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022).

1. Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn is a retired alpine skier from the United States who made her World Cup debut in 2000, World Championships debut in 2005, and Olympic debut in 2002. She made four Olympic appearances during her illustrious career, winning three total medals (one gold and two bronze) in the process. 

Vonn also won eight total medals (two gold, three silver, and three bronze) at the World Championships, but a majority of her success came at the World Cup. She earned herself 137 podium finishes, 82 wins (most all-time), 16 discipline titles, and four overall titles (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012) in 19 seasons. 

What’s Next for Mikaela Shiffrin? 

Mikaela Shiffrin already has six World Cup victories during the 2022-23 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season – which is a good place to be in, considering the season is just 15 races young. With 20 races left before the World Cup Season Final begins, she needs to win just three of them to break Lindsey Vonn’s record. 

We’ll next get to see Shiffrin showcase her talents on January 4th and 5th when the World Cup season continues in Zagreb, Croatia. There will be 11 more races between January 7th and 29th before the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2023 begin on February 6th – they’ll conclude on February 18th. 

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We can expect Shiffrin to pick up a few medals at the World Championships – she won at least one gold medal at each WC since 2013 and took home four total medals in 2021 (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze). She’ll then have seven more races to hopefully have a shot at a fifth career World Cup overall title.

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