Every day, Mikaela Shiffrin seems to discover a new ski racing record that she has broken or is close to breaking. She jokingly wonders how many records exist in the sport as her name becomes associated with many of them.
In 2018, Shiffrin ended the year with 15 World Cup victories, a record for an Alpine skier in a single calendar year. This includes an Olympic gold medal in giant slalom from the Pyeongchang Games, solidifying her as the most successful female slalom racer in the history of the sport.
Her goal for 2019 remains crystal clear: to continue striving for perfection. Shiffrin, a 23-year-old from Avon, Colorado, acknowledges that the pursuit of the perfect race is endless, stating, “The perfect race is the finish line I will never cross.” She will kick off the New Year by competing in a city event in Oslo, Norway.
Despite her achievements, Shiffrin recognizes that perfection in skiing is always evolving. After a recent race in Semmering, Austria, where she secured her 15th World Cup win of the year, she reflected on her performance, always seeking to improve. She surpassed Marcel Hirscher of Austria, the men’s overall champion, who had won 14 times in 2018.
Shiffrin, currently leading the overall standings by 466 points over Petra Vlhova of Slovakia, expressed her admiration for Marlies Schild, a retired Austrian skier whom she credits for her success in slalom skiing. She never expected to surpass Schild’s accomplishments but continues to push herself to new heights in the sport.
