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)

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata led a Japanese gold and silver medal grab in men’s big air on Saturday, underlining the growing dominance of their country in snowboarding at the Winter Olympics.

The 21-year-old Kimura edged his fellow countryman with a blistering last run, scoring a final’s best 90.50 to surge to the top of the table. He finished with 179.50 points from his best two jumps.

Defending champion Su Yiming of China took bronze, pushing 17-year-old American Oliver Martin off the podium.

Kimura was all smiles when he held up his gold medal with one hand and a plush doll of the Olympics and Paralympic mascots, the stoats Tina and Milo, with his other hand.

The 23-year-old Kimata, who won the big air world championship last year, touched down on his final run when he had a chance to snatch victory from Kimura. He finished with 171.50 points.

Both were competing in their first Olympics, and neither shied away from the moment, laying down the best jumps after spinning at dizzying speeds through the Alpine night.

Kimura’s best previous results were three second-placed finishes at World Cup events. He was 11th in big air at the 2025 world championship.

Japan has emerged over the past decade-plus as a force in halfpipe, winning five medals, with four by men, in the last three Olympics.

But it had only parlayed that into one bronze in women’s big air in 2022, with no medals in slopestyle.

Now Kimura and Kimata have given Japan its first Olympic gold and silver in big air, and more could be to come. The pair will also compete in slopestyle, while Ayumu Hirano will seek to defend his halfpipe gold.

Japan had four riders in the final, the most of any country, followed by three New Zealanders, Su of China, and an Aussie, showing the strength of the Pacific Rim.

Big air consists of one single jump off a huge ramp, where the rider varies spins, flips and holds of the board. The Livigno ramp peaks at over 40 meters (yards), sending the riders soaring down a landing slope that is lit by floodlights for the nighttime event.

Riders jump three times. Their top two jumps are combined for a final score while the worst jump is dropped.

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

Japan's Kira Kimura, left, celebrates with China's Su Yiming during the men's snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Japan's Kira Kimura celebrates winning the men's snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

From left, silver medalist Japan's Ryoma Kimata, gold medalist Japan's Kira Kimura and bronze medalist China's Su Yiming stand after the men's snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Japan's Kira Kimura reacts during the men's snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Japan's Kira Kimura reacts during the men's snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)