CNN —
Two-time Olympic champion and American ski star Mikaela Shiffrin secured her 83rd World Cup victory on Tuesday, breaking Lindsey Vonn’s record.
The American took first place in the giant slalom at Plan de Corones in Italy. She had led the general classification after the first run with a time of 58.72 before capping a record-breaking day with a time in the second run of 1:01.89.
She finished second, 0.45 seconds ahead of 2021 giant slalom world champion Lara Gut-Behrami. Home favorite Federica Brignone took third place.
Shiffrin’s 83rd World Cup win of her career puts her past her compatriot Vonn, who has the most wins in women’s skiing. She is now just three behind the overall record holder, in both men’s and women’s skiing, held by Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark with 86 victories.
When asked to describe the record-breaking moment, Shiffrin said she struggled to express her feelings.
“Actually, it’s hard to find words. I don’t think there are words to explain all these feelings,” she told Eurosport. “Because during the day it’s stressful, sometimes peaceful, sometimes nervous, sometimes excited.
“And those days with two runs and everything are long days, they’re exhausting. But in the end it’s like the excitement is too big to feel.”
It is her ninth win of the 2022/23 season, more than her total wins from the previous two seasons combined.
Shiffrin had equaled Vonn’s record by winning the giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia in early January.
The four-time overall World Cup winner has had an excellent season so far, which she continued at Plan de Corones with her seventh win in her last eleven races.
Despite the pressure on the 27-year-old’s shoulders, she never seemed upset during the two runs and displayed the speed and precision ski fans have come to expect from her.
“I was just trying to breathe a bit and enjoy it and I’m really looking forward to getting two more runs on this hill tomorrow because it’s in really good condition.”
She continued, “It’s pretty incredible to be a part of this competition… If you make a mistake, if it’s a big enough mistake, then you’re off the podium, win, maybe fifth or tenth, so you have to take the risk.
“Sometimes it’s going to be good, and sometimes it’s not. And I think it’s important that we always take the good bits of our skiing and try to keep pushing because that’s when it’s really exciting.”