In a thrilling women’s World Cup night slalom, Petra Vlhova of Slovakia secured a win on Tuesday, halting Mikaela Shiffrin’s impressive winning streak of seven races. Despite starting the race amid challenging snow conditions, Vlhova found herself in third place after the first run. However, she powered through to achieve the fastest time in the second run.
Expressing her joy, Vlhova exclaimed, “This is my best day ever. I told my coach before the second run: ‘It’s our time, we have to give our best.’ And I did it; I finally surpassed Mika.” Vlhova had consistently finished second to Shiffrin in the previous five slalom races this season and is the only skier other than the American to win a women’s World Cup slalom since last season.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Vlhova shared, “Finally beating Mikaela feels incredible. She is a formidable opponent who challenges me to my limits. We always have intense competition. But today, I delivered a flawless run and emerged victorious.” With her fifth slalom victory, Vlhova now holds the record for the most wins by a Slovakian skier, surpassing Veronika Velez Zuzulova’s four wins before her retirement last season.
Although Vlhova made a spectacular final run to put pressure on Shiffrin, who was the last one to start, the American lost precious time after hitting a patch of soft snow on the course. Disappointed but gracious in defeat, Shiffrin admitted, “I’m a bit disheartened, but second place is nothing to scoff at.” She commended Vlhova’s performance, recognizing her strength and aggressiveness.
Shiffrin remarked, “She has been skiing exceptionally well, showing great discipline and aggression. She truly deserves this win. Throughout the season, she has been consistently impressive. Particularly in the second run, she keeps getting better and stronger. I need to step up my game to keep up with her or surpass her.”
