At a Glance
- Camille Rast beats Mikaela Shiffrin by 0.14 seconds in Slovenia.
- Shiffrin’s six-race World Cup slalom winning streak ends.
- The duel sets the stage for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in 45 days.
- Why it matters: The rivalry highlights the growing Swiss challenge to Shiffrin’s dominance and shapes Olympic prospects.
The upcoming women’s slalom at Milan Cortina is just 45 days away, and the recent showdown in Slovenia has intensified the rivalry between the American star and her Swiss rival.
Rast Claims Victory in Slovenia
At the World Cup event in Kranjska Gora, Camille Rast clocked the fastest times in both runs, beating Mikaela Shiffrin by 0.14 seconds and ending Shiffrin’s six-race winning streak.
- Rast secured her fourth career win and third in slalom.
- Shiffrin’s teammate Wendy Holdener trailed by 1.83 seconds in third.
- Paula Moltzan finished fourth, the only other racer within two seconds of the lead.
Race Highlights and Aftermath
Mikaela Shiffrin praised Rast’s performance, saying:
> “Her skiing is so strong, and it’s been building, building, building. The last races she had some mistakes that cost time. And today, how I saw her ski the first run, ah, I had to go 120% in order to have a shot. So, it was a big, big, amazing day for her.”
Shiffrin also reflected on her own run:
> “I had a really specific goal for my skiing for the second run, a little bit technical thing, and I felt like I really accomplished that. This was the hardest I could push. I pushed so hard, it was like a small mistake here and a small mistake there and I don’t think that cost time. That was just how hard I was trying. I could feel these turns that I wanted to feel.”
Rast, the slalom world champion, celebrated her win with a dedication to the victims of a recent bar fire near her hometown:
> “I gave everything I had this weekend. Double on the same weekend is quite amazing. I’m so happy. A lot of energy was key to my triumph. It was a little bit a battle, but I had a lot of fun. And the slope, wow, was amazing, The preparation was top.”
Key statistics from the race:
- Shiffrin’s career tally now 69 slalom wins and 106 overall World Cup victories, both records.
- The next slalom race is a night event on Jan. 13 in Flachau, with the last pre-Olympic race on Jan. 25 in Czechia.
Key Takeaways
- Rast’s win ends Shiffrin’s dominant streak and shifts the Olympic narrative.
- Shiffrin remains a record-holding champion with 69 slalom wins.
- The rivalry will intensify as the Olympics approach, with both athletes poised for a showdown.
The result in Slovenia has set a new tone for the upcoming Olympic slalom, raising expectations for an exciting final showdown between the two leading women.
