American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin made a triumphant return to the giant slalom podium on Saturday, securing third place at the World Cup event in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czechia. This marks her first top-three finish in the discipline in two years, providing a significant confidence boost just weeks before the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Hector Claims Victory in Tightly Contested Race
The race was won by defending Olympic champion Sara Hector, who maintained her opening run lead to clinch her first victory since January 2025. The Swedish skier expressed her delight in a course-side interview, stating: "You always have to keep working, it's so many strong girls as you can see today. I am super happy that in the end I crossed the finish line first. That's a really cool feeling."
Shiffrin's Journey Back to Podium Success
Shiffrin, who holds the women's record for most career World Cup giant slalom wins with 22 victories, had experienced a challenging period in the discipline. Her last podium appearance came in January 2024 when she finished runner-up in Slovakia. Since then, she faced several setbacks including:
- A crash during downhill training on the Olympic course six days after her Slovakian result
- An absence from giant slalom competition until the start of the 2024-25 season
- A serious injury in November 2024 involving a puncture wound to her abdomen and damage to oblique muscles during a crash in Killington, Vermont
- Subsequent struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder following the accident
This season, Shiffrin had recorded three fourth-place finishes before finally breaking through to the podium in Czechia. Her third-place finish came just 0.23 seconds behind Hector, demonstrating her return to competitive form at a crucial moment in the Olympic cycle.
Strong American Performance Highlights Team Depth
The United States team delivered an impressive collective performance, with Paula Moltzan securing second place just 0.18 seconds behind Hector. Moltzan, who is still chasing her maiden career victory, earned her third podium of the season. The American success extended further down the rankings with Nina O'Brien finishing fifth and AJ Hurt taking eighth position.
Race Dynamics and Notable Absences
The competition saw intense competition during the opening run, with Hector narrowly edging out Camille Rast of Switzerland by just 0.02 seconds. Julia Scheib of Austria, the current giant slalom rankings leader, sat third after the first run but unfortunately skied out during her final descent.
Several notable skiers were absent from the Czechia event, including overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone and Italian teammate Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion. Both athletes are preparing for speed racing events in Switzerland next week ahead of their home Olympics in Milan Cortina.
The World Cup circuit continues in Spindleruv Mlyn with a slalom event scheduled for Sunday, providing further opportunities for athletes to fine-tune their preparations before the Olympic competition begins next month.
