Mikaela Shiffrin backed by Tina Mazze for 100 World Cup wins, hails American's achievement of equalling Lindsey Vonn

Updated 08/01/2023 at 16:44 GMT

Mikaela Shiffrin has now levelled the record of Lindsey Vonn for 82 World Cup victories, the most of any woman in history. Reacting to the win former Olympic champion and Eurosport expert Tina Maze reflects on racing against both of the American greats, and what makes them special. Shiffrin will now turn her attention to Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86 wins, the most ever.

'What an incredible performance!' - Shiffrin records win number 82

Former Olympic champion and Eurosport expert Tina Maze has said that she is not surprised Mikaela Shiffrin has equalled Lindsey Vonn’s women's record of 82 World Cup wins, and has backed the American to get to 100 victories.

Shiffrin, 27, won her 82nd World Cup race with victory in the giant slalom on Sunday at Kranjska Gora after a fantastic finish to 2022 propelled her up to 80 wins.

It draws her level with compatriot Vonn on 82 wins, the most for any woman in the history of World Cup skiing and puts her five behind the all-time record for men and women held by Ingemar Stenmar.

Kranjska Gora

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08/01/2023 at 16:06

Speaking to Eurosport Maze said of the achievement “Definitely the record achieved by Mikaela is huge and it will be set much higher for the others before she is finished!

She deserves this, she worked for this, and she has my biggest respect even though she will stay in my memory from our competition as young dancing star!

"Big congrats not just. to her but the whole team around her!"

Maze is in a unique position having raced against both. Whilst Vonn predominantly focused on speed events both Maze and Shiffrin straddled the disciplines far more.

Eurosport asked Maze what her earliest memories of the pair were.

'I was so nervous!' - Shiffrin reveals pre-race nerves ahead of record-equalling run

“I will start with Lindsey as we raced together when we were kids in Whistler Cup in Canada.” Maze said.

“I can still remember now clearly her reaction when she didn’t ski as she wanted to, sitting hunched over, disappointed, and I wanted to cheer her up.

“Later on, for many years, it was the opposite, I was the one who was disappointed about my performance, but somehow I managed to get back to the highest level in skiing and have close fights in the World Cup with her.

“When I brake the season record of 2414 points [in the 2013 season], Mikaela was already a presence in the World Cup, but I didn’t properly know her yet.

“She was for me the next ‘very hard to beat American girl’.

“I loved her kindness and focus at the same time. I realized she will be the one who will set the rhythm of skiing for next years.”

In terms of similarities between the pair Maze highlighted the way they are open in how they speak to the media, adding “They both have this determination, consistency, will to win, a hard-working routine combined with talent, but mostly this open way to media about who they are!”

She also said she’s consistently impressed with the musical talent Shiffrin shows on social media.

Maze said that although “It’s a long journey to get to so many victories and nobody can know for certain there was definitely something” about a young Shiffrin.

“She was so demanding in her discipline in slalom and I saw this youngster’s will to show different ways of skiing.

Shiffrin puts down blistering run to lead the way after first 1 in Kranjska Gora

“She says dancing on skies and she was challenging all of us with these fresh moves which I was struggling with!”

And can she reach 100 wins?

“Definitely! Great young US tech team will push her there!”

And as a final question, as someone who did both disciplines like Shiffrin we asked Maze what makes it so difficult to do both.

“It is hard because you lose this freshness sometimes.

“Moves in speed and tech are different and muscles/the mind in speed are slower compared to those who do only tech.

“You lose a lot of time to adapt back to ‘tech mood’ while other specialists have more time to test material, work on their technique , finding best spots to train, etc.”

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Stream the 2022-23 Alpine Skiing World Cup live on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk

Kranjska Gora