Mikaela Shiffrin wins last slalom before Olympics and locks up record ninth season discipline title

SPINDLERUV MLYN, Czech Republic (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin has locked up the slalom season title with the Olympics looming to become the first skier in the six-decade history of the World Cup with nine season titles in one discipline.

The American star might have to share her record soon, though, as teammate Lindsey Vonn has eight downhill titles and currently holds a commanding lead in those standings in her second season back from her initial retirement in 2019.

On the men’s side, Ingemar Stenmark won the slalom globe and Marcel Hirscher the overall title eight times each.

Shiffrin dominated the last slalom before the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday, securing top spot in the discipline standings with two races to spare.

Shiffrin won both runs to beat runner-up Camille Rast, the world champion from Switzerland, by 1.67 seconds. The rest of the field, led by Germany's Emma Aicher, trailed by more than two seconds.

Shiffrin’s victory came a day after she earned her first giant slalom podium in two years.

But the American was reluctant to read too much into those results and how they may translate to her form for the Olympics, where she plans to start in slalom, GS, and the team combined.

“At the Olympics is a totally different challenge,” said Shiffrin, who won slalom gold in 2014 and GS gold four years later, but didn't finish any of her technical events in 2022.

“I’ve had great Olympics, I’ve had tough Olympics, I try to go in with an open mind, good spirit, trusting my team,” she added. “We’re coming in with strong athletes, so it’s time to enjoy that.”

This weekend's races took place at the Czech venue of Shiffrin's World Cup debut at age 15 in March 2011.

“It just feels amazing to be here. I feel like when I was 15 years old still, like, I don’t know, just love skiing. I just love skiing. That’s the best feeling to be here," Shiffrin said.

Clinching the slalom globe and setting yet another record was not on her mind during the race, the American said.

“It's actually hard to think about that today because there was so much to think about on the race course,” Shiffrin said. “So now it's like a nice surprise.”

Shiffrin won her first slalom globe at age 18 in March 2013, her most recent one came two years ago. Last season, she led the standings but then missed two months of racing following a GS crash and Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia took the title.

Shiffrin’s 71 career race wins in slalom and 108 overall are both records for men and women.

“I'm motivated by like the ability to ski faster. In slalom, I'm right up against actually the ceiling or the limit of how fast I believe that I can ski,” the American said.

“With GS, I feel that there is still room to grow and still room to move. For me, that's the motivating thing, it's like ‘What can I do better or more consistent or more athletic?’”

Shiffrin’s seven wins from eight slaloms give her an insurmountable 288-point lead over second-placed Rast in the season standings. There are two more slaloms scheduled after the Olympics, with a race win worth 100 points.

Rast triumphed in the only slalom Shiffrin didn’t win this season, in Slovenia three weeks ago.

The women's World Cup continues in Crans-Montana with a downhill and a super-G next weekend, the last races before the Olympics.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, center, winner of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, poses with second placed Switzerland's Camille Rast, left, and third placed Germany's Emma Aicher, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin reacts after winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Switzerland's Camille Rast speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A massive winter storm made for a brutal travel day Sunday, with airlines warning of widespread cancellations and delays at some of the nation's busiest airports.

Widespread snow, sleet and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people — more than half the U.S. population — in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, the National Weather Service said Saturday night. After sweeping through the South, forecasters said the storm was expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.

More than 15,400 flights have been canceled across the U.S. since Saturday, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Over 10,200 of those were scheduled for Sunday.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that as of Sunday morning, the storm is the highest experienced cancellation event since the pandemic.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport said on its website that all airlines had canceled departing flights for the day, about 420 flights.

Significant disruptions have hit major airport hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Atlanta, home to the nation’s busiest airport, as well as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

American Airlines had canceled over 1,400 flights for Sunday, about 46% of its scheduled flights for Sunday, according to FlightAware. Delta Air Lines reported over 1,300 cancellations and Southwest Airlines reported over 1,260 cancellations for the day, while United Airlines had about 900. JetBlue had more than 570 canceled flights, accounting for roughly 71% of its schedule for the day.

If you’re already at the airport, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. If you’re still at home or at your hotel, call or go online to connect to your airline’s reservations staff. Either way, it helps to also research alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.

Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge, but it depends on the availability of open seats.

You can, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. Some airlines, including most of the biggest carriers, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then, it can be a hit or miss.

If your flight was canceled and you no longer want to take the trip, or you’ve found another way to get to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money — even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn’t matter why the flight was canceled.

The airline might offer you a travel credit, but you are entitled to a full refund. You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras that you didn’t get to use.

Airport crew plow snow during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Airport crew plow snow during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Airport crew plow snow during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

A flight status screen shows canceled flights at Philadelphia International Airport during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

An arrivals and departures board reflects several flight cancellations in and out of Love Field Airport, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

A lone traveler approaches a TSA checkpoint at Love Field Airport Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

A man arrives at Love Field Airport for a scheduled flight to San Mateo, California that had not yet been cancelled Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Planes move on the tarmac at the Nashville International Airport during a winter storm Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

The control tower at Love Field Airport is shown where weather conditions have had an impact on travel in and out of the normally busy airport Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)