Exactly one year to the day after a horrific crash that sidelined her for two months, American alpine skiing phenom Mikaela Shiffrin delivered yet another decisive victory, winning her third straight World Cup slalom race on home snow at Copper Mountain, Colorado. With the Olympics just around the corner, the record-extending 104th career World Cup win suggests Shiffrin's building formidable momentum. With the win, Shiffrin clinches her spot at the Olympics next year.

If the goal was to erase the ghosts of last season’s injury, a gnarly puncture wound suffered during the Killington Giant Slalom crash on November 30, 2024, Shiffrin’s performance on today was a true success.

Shiffrin, skiing in front of a roaring home crowd just a short drive from her family’s roots, laid down an emphatic win. She cleared the field with a combined 2-run time of 1 minute, 48.75 seconds: a full 1.57 seconds quicker than German runner-up Lena Duerr. Albania's rising star, Lara Colturi, rounded out the podium, finishing 1.85 seconds back.

Her first run gave her a slim lead of 0.28 seconds, while her second run sealed the deal as she crossed the line a full second quicker that her rivals. That sort of building between two runs has often been the difference for her this season.

Comfy margin of victory is a familiar trademark of Shiffrin's legendary career. It’s her third consecutive slalom win to start the 2025-26 season, and her form doesn't seem to be letting up as we approach the winter Olympics early next calendar year. Dominant performances in Levi, Finland, Gurgl, Austria, and now, Colorado, put her at a remarkable 67 career World Cup slalom victories.

The jury is in: Shiffrin is fully back and firing. We can't wait to see what else the American superstar will throw down this season.