Under the lights of the Hermann Maier racecourse in Flachau, Mikaela Shiffrin was crowned "Princess of Snow Space Salzburg" for the fifth time. Mikaela Shiffrin has won five times the Night Slalom in Flachau: 2013, 2014, 2018, 2021, and 2023. Shiffrin finished on the podium 10 times in 11 starts at Flachau.
Shiffrin finished ahead of Petra Vlhova (+0.27) and Sara Hector (+1.11).
The US ski ace has won four of seven Slalom races this season. Shiffrin recorded 57 of her 94 wins in the Slalom, a record for most wins in a single event.
With 148 podiums she is in second place all-time for most Alpine Ski World Cup podiums. Ingemar Stenmark with 155 holds the record. With her 81st Slalom podium, she tied alpine ski legend Ingemar Stenmark for the most slalom podiums in history.
Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhová have recorded a 1-2 finish in 24 Alpine Ski World Cup Slalom events. Shiffrin finished ahead of Vlhová 14 times and it was the other way around 10 times.
Shiffrin extended her lead in the Overall and Slalom World Cup standings over Petra Vlhova.
"This is an emotional victory for me after the last three days where I have been through so much. I like this slope and the conditions here. Of course, you also need a bit of luck when we both push ourselves to the limit like that", Shiffrin said.
Petra Vlhova finished in second position after setting the best time on the first run but some mistakes on the second deprived her of the victory in Flachau. It's her 46 podium in Slalom in the Alpine Ski World Cup.
"I just made too many mistakes and didn't have the right position over the ski. If you want to win, something like this shouldn't happen to you. I knew Mikaela had a good run. Of course, that forces you to push hard. I was not happy of course but in the end, it was second place and another podium", Vlhova said.
Sara Hector's third position today in the Slalom in Flachau marks her first podium in this discipline in the Alpine Ski World Cup.
"A podium in slalom, that is unbelievable. I've been dreaming about this for so long. I was nervous all day a little bit and normally I'm not always so nervous for slalom races as I am for Giant Slalom races. When I was at the start, I saw all the spectators and felt the superb atmosphere. I thought it could be a really good day today and it turned out amazing", Hector said.
17-year-old Italian Lara Colturi, who competes for Albania, achieved an excellent ninth place, starting with bib number 60, after setting the best time in the second run.