Mikaela Shiffrin Breaks Ingemar Stenmark’s All-Time World Cup Alpine Ski Wins Record
Mikaela Shiffrin has done the seemingly impossible, breaking Swedish skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark's all-time World Cup Alpine ski wins record with a record-extending 87th win on Saturday. Shiffrin earned the victory in her preferred discipline, the slalom, where she has 53 wins, seven more than any other skier in any single discipline.
The American icon was the fifth starter in the first run and gained time on then-leader Wendy Holdener at every checkpoint.[0] With the fastest splits in all but one sector, Shiffrin’s 50.93-second mark was 0.69-seconds faster than hometown favorite Anna Swenn-Larsson and 0.94 ahead of Holdener in third.[1] Paula Moltzan of the United States was in fifth place, trailing by 1.[0]
With the victory, Shiffrin has secured the overall, the slalom and the giant slalom season titles, and her efforts today take her to 53 World Cup slalom wins, already seven more than any other skier has managed in any single discipline. Her 87 World Cup victories are spread across slalom, giant slalom, downhill, super-G, combined, parallel and city events.[2]
The 27-year-old has now won 13 World Cup races this season, the most for any man or woman in one season since her record 17-victory campaign in 2018-19. She is expected to race three more times at next week’s World Cup Finals in Andorra.[3]
Shiffrin’s success has been attributed to her focus on technique, her pursuit of the perfect turn and the course in front of her, and her ability to stay consistent and nitpick any flaw or deficiency until it is gone, and practice what she does well until it’s even better.[4]
Stenmark didn’t retire until he was 32, and if Shiffrin can continue to keep bone and sinew intact for another five years, she’ll post more than 100 Cup victories.[5] Given that every athlete in sport is prone to injury, there is no guarantee; however, the American's lack of injury is nothing short of miraculous, foreshadowing a continued success in her career.[6] Stenmark has openly declared that he anticipates Shiffrin will surpass the 100-win milestone.[6]
0. “Mikaela Shiffrin breaks all-time World Cup Alpine ski wins record with slalom victory” Vail Daily, 11 Mar. 2023, https://www.vaildaily.com/news/mikaela-shiffrin-breaks-all-time-world-cup-alpine-ski-wins-record
1. “Mikaela Shiffrin sets World Cup skiing record with 87th win” WYFF4 Greenville, 11 Mar. 2023, https://www.wyff4.com/article/mikaela-shiffrin-sets-world-cup-skiing-record/43279363
2. “Mikaela Shiffrin cares more about how she got record than actual wins” USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2023/03/11/mikaela-shiffrin-gives-master-class-in-winning-right-way/11453670002
3. “Mikaela Shiffrin ties Alpine skiing World Cup wins record” Home of the Olympic Channel, 10 Mar. 2023, https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2023/03/10/mikaela-shiffrin-world-cup-wins-record-ingemar-stenmark-alpine-skiing
4. “Mikaela Shiffrin's road to the World Cup ski racing record” ESPN, 11 Mar. 2023, https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/35753995/mikaela-shiffrin-breaks-ingemar-stenmark-world-cup-record
5. “The incomparable Mikaela Shiffrin has a solid case for greatest skier ever, male or female” The Boston Globe, 11 Mar. 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/11/sports/mikaela-shiffrin-world-record
6. “Mikaela Shiffrin lays claim as best ever after record-setting 87th World Cup win” The Guardian, 11 Mar. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/mar/11/mikaela-shiffrin-breaks-record-skiing-world-cup-wins
