Mikaela Shiffrin Dominates Slalom, Secures Fourth Olympic Appearance

Mikaela Shiffrin continues to solidify her dominance in slalom skiing as she secures her spot for the upcoming Winter Olympics. This significant achievement marks her fourth Olympic appearance, following an impressive performance in the World Cup series.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s Slalom Success

Shiffrin claimed her third consecutive World Cup slalom victory at Copper Mountain, Colorado, winning by a margin of 1.57 seconds over Germany’s Lena Dürr. This victory extends her winning streak to four slalom races, with each by over one second. Remarkably, this marks the first time Shiffrin has won three consecutive slalom races by such margins.

Upcoming Challenges

Despite her slalom success, Shiffrin faces challenges in giant slalom. She finished 14th in the Copper Giant Slalom, which was won by Alice Robinson from New Zealand. Shiffrin is working to enhance her giant slalom performance as the next World Cup races, also in this discipline, will take place in Tremblant, Canada.

• Shiffrin’s current total of slalom victories includes:
• First consecutive wins: Four slaloms, all by more than 1 second.
• Best finish in five recent giant slaloms: Fourth place.

Other American Performances

In addition to Shiffrin’s achievements, American athletes excelled in various winter sports. In short track speed skating, William Dandjinou and Courtney Sarault are set to represent their country as top-ranked skaters heading into the Olympics. Dandjinou’s family heritage includes immigration from Côte d’Ivoire, while Sarault has roots in NHL history through her father.

• Corinne Stoddard is a strong medal contender in all three individual events (500m, 1000m, 1500m).
• Andrew Heo achieved a historic win in the 500m, marking the first U.S. man victory in 11 years.

Bobsled and Cross-Country Highlights

Among bobsled athletes, Kaysha Love has distinguished herself by consistently finishing in the top two in the early World Cup races. In a notable event, Love won the women’s monobob in Igls, Austria. Other American competitors, including Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor, also showed competitive results.

In cross-country skiing, Jessie Diggins continues to shine, securing top finishes as she approaches her final season before retirement, being a contender in diverse Olympic events.

Luge and Big Air Developments

In luge, the U.S. saw impressive performances at the 2026 Olympic track in Cortina. Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa secured second place in men’s doubles, while Ashley Farquharson finished fourth in women’s singles.

In ski big air competitions, Troy Podmilsak gained momentum towards his Olympic dream by winning a World Cup event in China, with others like Alex Hall, Colby Stevenson, and Mac Forehand also positioned as strong contenders.

As the Winter Olympics approach, Shiffrin and her fellow athletes are gearing up for what promises to be an exciting series of competitions in Milan Cortina.