Shiffrin wins slalom for historic 100th World Cup victory, ties Stenmark's record for most podiums
CBC
Mikaela Shiffrin is 100% the best in skiing's World Cup history book.
Shiffrin's record-extending 100th career World Cup race win Sunday fulfilled a quest put on hold by a serious crash in November.
Back to racing in her favoured slalom event, Shiffrin kept and added to her first-run lead to finish 0.61 seconds ahead of Zrinka Ljutic in Sestriere, Italy. Shiffrin's U.S. teammate Paula Moltzan was third, 0.64 back.
WATCH l Shiffrin extends record with 100th World Cup win:
The 29-year-old Shiffrin also tied an all-time World Cup record for men and women, as her 155th career top-3 finish on the podium matched Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.
Shiffrin crossed the finish line and took a long look at the scoreboard showing her victory. She then looked again over her left shoulder with an expression of amazement.
She lay down on the snow with her right hand to her helmet, and was helped to her feet by Moltzan who hugged her.
Shiffrin cried at first when she was asked in a post-race interview what it meant after all she had been through in the past few months.
"Everyone had been so nice and so supportive. I am so grateful, thank you," she said.
WATCH l Shiffrin overcome with emotion after historic win:
Shiffrin's 99th win was earned exactly three months ago in a slalom at Gurgl, Austria.
No. 100 had been within clear sight one week later when Shriffin crashed out of a giant slalom at Killington, Vermont, while racing fast as the first-run leader.
The injuries she suffered in a tumbling fall — severe trauma to her oblique muscles and a deep puncture wound — sidelined her for several weeks and left "PTSD-like" anxiety about racing giant slalom.
In two giant slaloms at Sestriere, she placed 25th Friday and on Saturday finished outside the top-30 fastest racers in the first run for the first time since 2012.
Graham Thomas sees a calm confidence and a deep hunger in his team.
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