ARE, Sweden — US skiing standout Mikaela Shiffrin won her record-tying 86th World Cup race in Are, Sweden.
Shiffrin won the giant slalom to match the historic mark set by Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark from 1974-89.
Her total time of 1:54.64 was 0.64 seconds ahead of Federica Brignone of Italy.
From one great to another, the 27-year-old American spoke to the 66-year-old Swede of her respect for him and the historic mark he set in 1989 that was long thought to be beyond reach.
“No matter what I do, it doesn’t ever compare to what you achieved,” Shiffrin said into the TV6 camera from the lakeside resort.
“Maybe I get the 87th victory, maybe not. But for me the biggest dream is to be mentioned in the same sentence as you.”
Shiffrin matched the Swede’s mark by winning a giant slalom. Before Shiffrin won her record-tying 86th World Cup race, Stenmark wished her good luck.
“This is a spectacular day. I just wanted to fight for it,” Shiffrin said. “It’s amazing, incredible.”
Stenmark – an all-time great in both slalom and giant slalom – preferred not to be present in Are, and instead chose to watch on television.
“She’s much better than I was. You cannot compare,” he admitted to the Associated Press ahead of her record-equalling run, 34 years after he had grabbed the record.
Shiffrin has had three chances to snap up her 86th win since landing No. 85 six weeks ago, but struggled to match Stenmark’s record so soon in the speed races, with those not her specialty.
The victory in Are was Shiffrin’s fourth straight win in World Cup giant slaloms since January, and since then won gold in the event at last month’s World Championships in Meribel, France.
She also claimed the season-long World Cup giant slalom title – her 15th career crystal globe trophy – having already won her fifth overall and seventh slalom title this season.
Six of her 20 career World Cup giant slalom wins have come this season. The extraordinary feat matched the women’s record held by Switzerland’s Vreni Schneider.
