'A very special day for me' - Mikaela Shiffrin ends year with 'perfect' World Cup slalom victory at Lienz

It was yet another landmark day for Mikaela Shiffrin, who ended 2023 on a winning note with a 93rd World Cup victory in Lienz, Austria. She topped the podium by finishing a mammoth 2.34 seconds seconds of Germany's Lena Duerr, while Swiss Michelle Gisin came third. The female alpine skiers return to action with a giant slalom at Adelboden on 6 January.

Mikaela Shiffrin put in one of the most dominant performances of her amazing career to end the year with slalom victory at Lienz, Austria.

The American's 93rd World Cup victory came by the cavernous margin of 2.34 seconds.

It was a fitting end to Shiffrin's annus mirabilis that has seen her win 13 races on the top-level circuit.

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"Today was a very special day for me," Shiffrin said. "I felt perfect on the skis so I'm super happy," said Shiffrin in quotes published by fis-ski.com.

Shiffrin led by over a second after the first run.

Despite German Lena Duerr's charge from fifth into the provisional lead in the second run, Shiffrin attacked the course to claim a resounding win.

Thirteen wins makes this the 28-year-old's joint second-most successful calendar year of racing having claimed 15 victories in 2018.

"The last couple of years I was really building through the beginning of the season to this point, and somehow it clicks I guess," Shiffrin said.

"First run, second run were totally different courses, different timing, different flow.

"I felt I just had a really good plan and my coaches pointed out the really key sections of the course and then I was good to go."

Silver went to Duerr and bronze to Swiss Michelle Gisin.

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Shiffrin now has 13 World Cup wins in 2023 and equals the haul she managed in 2019 as the second most in a calendar year, after winning 15 in 2018.

This was also her 56th slalom victory and the 80th time she has been on the podium in the discipline, one short of another Ingemar Stenmark record after breaking his all-time World Cup victories record of 86 in March.

There are now hopes that Shiffrin can reach the magical total of 100 World Cup victories, but is not focused on chasing down numbers.

"I certainly have wishes but I think in skiing, it's always just: be relentless with the work and do the job and try to enjoy it actually," she added.

"In life, I just really wish for nice moments with my family and closest friends. That's pretty simple, I guess."

'A very special day for me' - Shiffrin on getting her 93rd career win

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