"Looking forward to battling with them" - Mikaela Shiffrin on rivalry with Lara Gut-Behrami and Federica Brignone

Alpine skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin is looking forward to racing against rivals Lara Gut-Behrami and Federica Brignone after battling with them for the crystal globes at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2023/24.

The 2023/24 season saw the American skier accomplish several record-breaking feats. With an eighth slalom globe that tied her with Lindsey Vonn for the most titles by a woman skier, Shiffrin won 10 races this season, making her the highest winner of World Cup races ever.

Shiffrin began the season strong, leading the overall slalom and giant slalom standings until the end of January. However, her hopes for a record-tying 6th overall Crystal Globe were dashed when a knee injury sidelined her for over a month, causing her to miss more than 11 races during her rehabilitation.

Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami seized the chance and claimed the lead in both the Giant Slalom and overall standings, ultimately securing both titles in March. Meanwhile, Federica Brignone secured the second place.

Shiffrin ended her campaign with 97 World Cup victories after securing the last win at Saalbach, Austria. She won the slalom globe as well and is now looking to ‘battle’ again with the two skiing rivals next season.

The 29-year-old reflected on her season in a post on X (formerly Twitter). While congratulating both skiers on their successful season, Shiffrin also expressed her determination to give it her all next season.

"What a whirlwind szn! Congrats to both Lara & @FedeBrignone who skied consistently impressive all season long! Absolutely earned and deserved. It was inspiring to say the least, & I’m looking forward to battling with them & the rest of the women next year," Shiffrin wrote.

The 2024-2025 Alpine Ski World Cup is set to kick off later this year, with the finals scheduled for February at Saalbach. It's the same venue where Shiffrin secured her record-extending 97th race win this season.

Mikaela Shiffrin congratulates Lara Gut-Behrami on her overall giant slalom title triumph

Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals - Women's Slalom

Mikaela Shiffrin finished third on the overall World Cup standings while Lara Gut-Behrami secured her second Crystal Globe after an eight-year gap with 1716 points. The Swiss' previous win was back in 2016. She also won the Giant Slalom title with a total of 771 points.

In an interview with AP News, Gut-Behrami revealed that GS had been a very important discipline for her.

"It’s unbelievable, the GS has always been so important to me. I always knew if I’m skiing fast in GS, then I’m skiing fast also in super-G and downhill," she said.

Shiffrin later congratulated Gut-Behrami via an Instagram story. She also expressed her admiration for Federica Brignone, who won the GS race that day.

"Congrats Lara!! Much deserved. And spectacular skiing today by Fede (Federica Brignone) too!!" the American wrote.