"I'm lucky to be able to race again this season" - Mikaela Shiffrin marks comeback with 96th World Cup win

Alpine Skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin has clinched her 96th World Cup victory in Are, Sweden while also securing the record-tying 8th slalom season title. She was racing for the first time today after suffering a downhill crash on January 26.

Shiffrin led the opening round of today's Slalom event at Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2023/24, posting the fastest time in the first run. She led the Swiss skier Michelle Gisin, runner-up, by 0.02 seconds while third-placed Croatian athlete Zrinka Ljutic finished 0.11 seconds behind Shiffrin.

The Olympic Champion maintained the momentum in the second run and clinched the record-extending 96th World Cup win of her career. Shiffrin won the slalom event by a fitting margin of 1.24 seconds, posting a timing of 1:42:95. It marked her 8th slalom title tying the record for most titles in a single discipline. She secured 6 slalom victories this season along with single 2nd and 4th place finishes.

The 2nd place was secured by the Croatian youngster while Switzerland's Gisin finished 3rd, 1.34s behind Shiffrin. The 28-year-old expressed gratitude in an interview with Austrian broadcaster ORF after her first run, saying:

“It’s pretty special. I’ve been lucky to be able to race again this season and I’m really soaking it in. I am enjoying being back and my knee is holding up, it’s doing good work for me”

\With the season coming to a close, Shiffrin is expected to race next weekend, at least in the slalom events. But her chances at the record-tying 6th overall World Cup title are looking dimmer and dimmer.

Mikaela Shiffrin on comeback

Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Mikaela Shiffrin wins Women's Slalom

Mikaela Shiffrin will next compete in the World Cup Finals in Austria but she has missed the last 11 races. The alpine skiing legend sprained her MCL and tibiofibular ligament in January and has been in rehab since then. Mikaela Shiffrin spoke after the first run and revealed her recovery status.

"I felt like this was a really good run. I was pushing the whole way, and I when I feel the knee, it doesn’t distract me from skiing or from pushing my skis, so then that’s perfect," the American said.

The Olympic Champion further revealed that she could only take four normal slalom sessions before today's race. It was also the reason she had to skip yesterday's Giant Slalom.

"I have only had four normal slalom sessions in the last seven weeks. Right now, I feel really good about my skiing, but I just haven’t had a ton of practice, so maybe it takes a little bit more energy to get that level on that spot"