Over the weekend, 27-year-old American skier Mikaela Shiffrin tied Lindsey Vonn’s record for the most alpine World Cup wins by a woman.
Taking to the slopes during the giant slalom event in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, the athlete beat Italy’s Federica Brignone by 0.77 seconds, which allowed her to take home the big win. After the event, she holds 82 consecutive alpine World Cups, the same amount as decorated skier Lindsey Vonn.
“I was so nervous this run,” Shiffrin admitted after the race. “I don’t know why, maybe a little bit was because of 82, and I just really wanted to ski it well, and I did, so I can’t believe it.”
Despite her anxieties about this race, she undeniably crushed the event. Her winning time was a full two seconds faster than the winning pace that was placed the day before. She shared, “I felt much, much better this first run than yesterday. I had to try to change my feeling from yesterday. It was very good skiing and I’m happy with that.”
“It was a fight. But it was pretty amazing conditions and I got a report from the coaches and they were like, ‘It’s really attackable, so just go for it,’” Shiffrin continued, explaining how the weather impacted her performance. “I’ve been in this position before and I’ve given it away and today I wanted to fight for it. I just felt so good with my skiing and that’s the most special thing.”
Although Shiffrin is tied for the most alpine World Cup wins, fellow American skier Lindsey Vonn has no hold-ups about her eventually breaking the record. “I’m really happy for Mikaela. Records are meant to be broken and it’s a sign of progress. And if anyone is to break my record, I’m really happy that it’s an American. She’s going to continue pushing the limits and continue to inspire other Americans,” Vonn said after she Shiffrin tied.
She added, “There were a lot of women who paved the way for me. And now it’s her turn to pave the way for the next generation.”
The American skier is a native of Colorado and won her first alpine World Cup at 17 in 2012. Additionally, she holds six world championships and two Olympic gold medals. Sticking to her roots, she trains with the U.S. ski team at Cooper Mountain in Colorado.
“When we talk about the athletes who train here, we’re talking about the best of the best,“ Copper Mountain spokesperson Olivia Butrymovich said in a statement to a local news station. “And that’s Mikaela Shiffrin, and we’re lucky to have her here.”
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