The World Cup season kicked off over the weekend in Soelden, Austria. 

Mikaela Shiffrin and the men’s and women’s tech fields carved turns into the icy “glacier” run, looking to start their seasons atop the world rankings. 

Shiffrin posted two solid giant slalom runs Saturday, vaulting herself into first place following her second run. Teammate Paula Moltzan would post a 1:08.01 in her second run, overtaking Shiffrin. Austrian Julia Scheib held on in her second run with a 1:08.71, winning the title after her 1:07.80 first run, the fastest run of the day. Scheib’s title is the first for an Austrian woman in giant slalom at the cup level since 2016. 

The packed Austrian crowds roared for Shiffrin, Scheib and others all weekend. The men competed Sunday amid some snowfall and weather delays. Swiss Marco Odermatt won the men’s title with a combined time of 1:56.03. The highest finishing American on the men’s side was River Radamus of Colorado in 21st place. 

Shiffrin, with 101 World Cup wins and two Olympic golds, is the most decorated alpine skier ever, man or woman. She is focusing primarily on her giant slalom skiing in this Games season. Shiffrin won gold in the event at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. She is looking to bounce back from an injury-marred 2024-25 season, when she still won four World Cups and a World Championships title in only 13 starts. 

“I am so happy,” Shiffrin said after Saturday’s race. “After how I ended last season, it was a waiting game, and in the end racing was the next step in the preparation phase. … I felt like my mind and my body were connected today. I was so nervous this whole week.” said Shiffrin.

Shiffrin said she feels “over the moon.” She’ll be chasing her 23rd giant slalom victory when the circuit resumes with giant slaloms at Copper Mountain in late November. The next tech cup is in Levi, Finland, Nov. 15-16. 

“I am so happy with today,” said Moltzan, finishing second Saturday. “Scheib and I spent three days training together and both looked at each other and said we need to do that more often. … Our whole team skied incredibly well, and I am so happy to be with this crew.” 

Moltzan, 31 years old, will be chasing her first cup victory in Levi. She’s got three slalom podiums to her name, and Saturday was her second giant slalom podium finish. 

There will be a third tech cup in Gurgl, Austria, Nov. 22-23, before the speed season kicks off at Copper Mountain.