Mikaela Shiffrin Wins Giant Slalom at Kranjska Gora for Historic 96th World Cup Victory

Mikaela Shiffrin continued her relentless march toward skiing history on Saturday afternoon in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, claiming her 96th World Cup victory with a commanding performance in the giant slalom that further extended her all-time record. The 31-year-old American star delivered two nearly flawless runs on the challenging Podkoren course to defeat Switzerland Lara Gut-Behrami by 0.84 seconds, moving tantalizingly close to the magical 100-win milestone that seemed impossible when she began her career over a decade ago.

Shiffrins first run was a masterclass in giant slalom technique, as she navigated the technical course with the precision and aggression that has made her the most successful alpine skier in World Cup history. Despite challenging conditions that included flat light and a deteriorating course surface, the two-time Olympic champion attacked every gate with confidence while maintaining the smooth, efficient style that has been her trademark throughout her remarkable career. Her time of 1:06.42 gave her a substantial 0.61-second lead heading into the decisive second run.

The second run belonged entirely to Shiffrin, who increased her advantage with an even more impressive display of skiing that left her competitors and observers in awe of her continued excellence. Her ability to adapt to changing snow conditions while maintaining maximum speed through the most technical sections of the course demonstrated why she has dominated this discipline for over a decade. The victory was her seventh in giant slalom this season and 20th overall in the discipline, numbers that speak to her remarkable consistency and longevity at the highest level.

Gut-Behrami, who has been Shiffrins most consistent challenger throughout the 2025-26 season, delivered another strong performance to claim second place but acknowledged that the American was simply operating on a different level. The Swiss veteran praised Shiffrins technical perfection while expressing admiration for her ability to continue raising the bar even after achieving everything possible in alpine skiing. Italian Sara Hector rounded out the podium in third place, extending her excellent recent form in technical events.

The victory extends Shiffrins lead in both the giant slalom standings and overall World Cup classification, positioning her perfectly for what could be her eighth consecutive crystal globe. With just four races remaining in the season, her mathematical advantage appears insurmountable, though she continues to approach each race with the same meticulous preparation and competitive intensity that has defined her career. Her pursuit of 100 World Cup victories has captured the imagination of the skiing world and sports fans globally.

As Shiffrin stood atop the podium in Kranjska Gora listening to the American national anthem, the magnitude of her achievement was evident in the emotional celebration that followed. The milestone of 96 victories moves her four wins away from reaching triple digits, a number that would cement her legacy as not just the greatest ski racer of all time, but one of the most dominant athletes in any sport. Her continued excellence at an age when most alpine skiers have retired demonstrates an unprecedented combination of talent, dedication, and competitive drive that may never be matched.

With upcoming races in Soldeu and the World Cup Finals in Saalbach, Shiffrin will have multiple opportunities to reach the historic 100-win milestone before the season concludes. The skiing world will be watching closely as one of sports greatest athletes continues to rewrite the record books while inspiring a new generation of racers to pursue their own dreams of excellence on the worlds most challenging slopes.