Shiffrin's Giant Slalom Podium Return Leads US Skiing Triumph in Czechia
American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin marked a significant competitive milestone on Saturday, securing a place on the World Cup giant slalom podium for the first time in two years. The event, held in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czechia, served as the final GS race before the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics, adding considerable weight to the performances.
Hector Claims Victory as Shiffrin and Moltzan Share Podium
The race was won by Sweden's defending Olympic champion, Sara Hector, who maintained her lead from the opening run to clinch her first victory since January 2025. Hector finished just 0.23 seconds ahead of Shiffrin, with the American sharing the podium with her teammate, Paula Moltzan, who secured second place, a mere 0.18 seconds behind the Swedish winner.
In a course-side interview, Hector reflected on the intense competition, stating, "You always have to keep working, it's so many strong girls as you can see today. I am super happy that in the end I crossed the finish line first. That's a really cool feeling."
Shiffrin's Long-Awaited Return to GS Form
For Shiffrin, the 2018 Olympic GS gold medalist and record holder for most career World Cup GS wins with 22, this podium represents a hard-fought return to form. Her last top-three finish in the discipline was 11 events ago, dating back to a runner-up result in Slovakia in January 2024.
The path back has been fraught with challenges. Six days after that Slovakian race, Shiffrin crashed during a downhill on the Olympic course, leading to an absence from GS competition until the start of the 2024-25 season. A severe crash in November 2024 at her home GS in Killington, Vermont, resulted in a puncture wound and significant muscle damage, compounded by lingering post-traumatic stress disorder.
This season, Shiffrin had recorded three fourth-place finishes prior to Saturday's breakthrough, which comes just three weeks before the Olympic GS event in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Strong Collective Performance from US Ski Team
Paula Moltzan's second-place finish marked her third podium of the season as she continues her pursuit of a maiden career victory. Her performance spearheaded a notably strong showing for the United States team, with Nina O'Brien finishing in fifth place and AJ Hurt securing eighth.
This collective result underscores the depth and competitive readiness of the American squad heading into the Olympic Games.
Race Dynamics and Notable Absences
The opening run saw a tightly contested battle, with Hector edging out Switzerland's Camille Rast by a razor-thin margin of 0.02 seconds. Austria's Julia Scheib, the current GS rankings leader, was 0.26 seconds back in third after the first run. Rast ultimately dropped to fourth place, while Scheib skied out during the final run.
The event in Czechia proceeded without several notable contenders. Overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone, who recently returned from a nine-month injury layoff, and her Italian teammate Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion, both opted to sit out. Their focus is understood to be on the upcoming weekend of speed racing in Switzerland, a key preparatory phase ahead of their home Olympics in Italy.
Competition at the Spindleruv Mlyn venue continues with a slalom event scheduled for Sunday.
