Mikaela Shiffrin became the first skier in 20 years to win three straight World Cup slalom season titles, adding another crystal globe to her trophy case and winning the World Cup Finals in Meribel, France, on Saturday.
Shiffrin, who only needed to finish in the top 15 to take the season title, jumped from second place after the first of two runs to beat Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter by .05. It was Shiffrin’s 15th career World Cup victory.
“I had to pull a lot out of myself that second run in order to even beat her by a little bit,” Shiffrin, who was .07 behind after the first run, said in a finish-area interview. “I definitely didn’t want to throw everything away, but I also wanted to put something on the limit.”
Slovenia’s Tina Maze was fourth Saturday, moving 18 points ahead of Austrian Anna Fenninger for the World Cup overall lead. If Maze and Fenninger both are in the top three in Sunday’s final giant slalom, the higher finisher will win the overall title.
The last woman before Shiffrin to take three straight slalom season titles was Swiss Vreni Schneider, who bagged four straight from 1992 through 1995.
Shiffrin, 20, has won every Olympic, World Championships and World Cup Finals slalom the last three seasons -- going six for six.
“I hope I’m always considered a rising star,” Shiffrin told media in Meribel. “This is a really special time for me to be always climbing and progressing, getting better. ... I don’t necessarily ever want to be considered the star. I like the rising star.”
She captured this season’s title by 110 points, as opposed to 150 last season, but she recovered from the worst slump of her young career early in the season by changing equipment.
Shiffrin could be the best in the discipline for quite some time, given the six women closest to her in the standings are all at least eight years older.
Shiffrin also hopes to continue her progress in the giant slalom in her season finale Sunday at the World Cup Finals.
Shiffrin, who improved from 49th to 19th to seventh in the World Cup giant slalom standings the previous three season, stands third this year. She could finish as high as second with a strong result Sunday, with Lindsey Vonn also in the race.
“Part of what I need to learn in GS is how to take some risk and how to really put it on the line,” Shiffrin said. “A lot of the best GS skiers are also speed skiers, and in order to ski speed fast, you have to not second-guess yourself. Just go, all-out, all the time. I don’t know if I have that skill yet.”
Watch Lindsey Vonn tie legend’s record for crystal globes