'I'm really proud': Shiffrin wins emotional Flachau night slalom
Jan 16, 2024·Alpine Skiing
From her sick bed to her partner's hospital bed to the top step of the podium in just a few days, Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) had nothing left to give but tears.
The American star won an emotional Flachau slalom on Tuesday after missing the weekend races in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee while recovering from illness and then making an unscheduled detour to Switzerland to visit her boyfriend Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) in hospital after his crash in the Wengen downhill on Saturday.
Displaying the resilience that has made her the most successful Alpine ski racer in history — and then some — Shiffrin came from behind to defeat great rival Petra Vlhova (SVK) and win her record-extending 94th World Cup race.
"I'm really proud of this evening and very thankful for my whole team," Shiffrin said while fighting back tears in the finish area moments after the race.
"These last days have been very challenging. They've (her team) been so supportive and helped me go see Aleks."
After having some time to compose herself, the 28-year-old later added: "This is really emotional now. The last three days I feel like I lived a lifetime."
Trailing Vlhova by 0.07 seconds after the first run, Shiffrin stumbled on one of the first turns of the second run but composed herself to ski a blistering lower section and throw down the gauntlet to the Olympic champion.
Vlhova was pitched off the snow several times in her run and even snapped a control gate, and despite her lightning-quick recoveries, she was unable to limit the damage and finished second, 0.27 seconds behind the American.
"I knew she (Vlhova) would be strong, so in the end it comes down to some bits of luck as well and there were some things that were not perfect for her," Shiffrin said.
"I had a mistake at the top and we were both pushing to our limit. Two-tenths is nothing but I'm thankful for that tonight."
Vlhova was left to rue her errors as she was unable to reclaim the lead in the race for the slalom crystal globe, which Shiffrin now leads by 25 points.
"I'm satisfied but I wanted to be faster of course and to win today," Vlhova said. "But I did many mistakes from the start to the finish, and Mikaela was so good today."
Olympic giant slalom champion Sara Hector (SWE) finished third for her first World Cup slalom podium after moving up a spot in the second run at the expense of teammate Anna Swenn Larsson (SWE), who dropped to fifth.
"A podium in slalom, I'm so happy," Hector said. "You never know if you're going to make it in your life.
"I was nervous all day a little bit and normally I'm not always so nervous for slalom races like I am for GS races. But I thought it could be a really good day today and it turned out amazing."
Despite her impressive podium achievement, Hector was more than a second off the lead as Shiffrin and Vlhova continued their dominance over the field.
The pair have won all seven World Cup slalom races between them this season, and 13 of the last 14 dating back to last January.
"For people who are watching, it's something amazing," Vlhova admitted despite being on the wrong side of the battle on Tuesday.
By winning in Flachau for the fifth time, Shiffrin extended her record with her 57th World Cup slalom victory and equalled Ingemar Stenmark (SWE) on 81 slalom podiums, joint-highest in World Cup history.
But if Shiffrin hopes to put aside the emotion of the last week and continue her record-setting ways in this weekend's technical races, she will have to do it at the Slovakian resort of Jasna, where big crowds will be cheering on her rival.
"Be ready because they're going to be something huge," Vlhova said.
