Stunning Shiffrin crowned Overall champion as Scheib delights in GS Globe

A stunning day and a sensational season of women’s Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup racing came to a thrilling conclusion in Hafjell on Wednesday, with Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic) equalling childhood hero Annemarie Moser-Pröll (AUT) by winning a record sixth Overall Crystal Globe.

But the brilliant Emma Aicher (GER/Head) made her work mighty hard for it.

Needing to win the Giant Slalom and for Shiffrin to finish outside the top-15 in order to snatch the coveted title away, the German turned the pressure valve up to the max at the halfway stage. A stunning first run put her third while an understandably tense Shiffrin was sat 17^th. The steal was on.

Shiffrin, however, was having none of it. Knowing any misstep would open the door to her rival, the American went into overdrive. Intense but smooth, Shiffrin flew down the Hafjell hill second time around and into the history books.  

While Shiffrin confirmed her spot as the greatest Overall skier of the season, there is zero doubt that Julia Scheib (AUT/Rossignol) is currently in her own league when it comes to the GS. Winner of five of the 10 GS races, the Austrian ended third on the day, before lifting the GS Globe for the first time in her career.

Ahead of the Austrian on Wednesday came Mina Fuerst Holtmann (NOR/Atomic) who gave the home crowd plenty to shout about with her best result of the season. While Valerie Grenier (CAN/Rossignol) finished out in front, as she secured Canada’s first victory of the season in any discipline, winning by a big 0.43-second margin.

Shiffrin on top once more

Shiffrin may not have dominated across the disciplines to the extent she did in her extraordinary 2018/19 and 2022/23 seasons, but this has undoubtedly been one of her most impressive campaigns.

After returning from her horror abdomen injury in late January 2025, the American started this campaign full of doubts. But able to lean on her untouchable Slalom skills, the 31-year-old built solidly into the GS, eventually recording more top-six finishes than anyone else, as she landed a title she has long eyed up.

Although she took some convincing that a sixth Big Globe is finally hers.

The American legend is certainly free to celebrate, another Overall Globe sitting alongside the Slalom Globe she landed back in January. Although her nerves were pushed to the limit on the final day of the season.

“I mean I was in 17th position after the first run, and you don't get points in 17th here. So, I really could appreciate that this day could be different,” Shiffrin said. “It was a lot of effort to push on the second and I was really happy with my second run, much better timing. I felt much more fluid and just like kind of relaxed, even though I was actually quite stressed.”

An incredible return of 980 points out of a possible 1000 in the Slalom allied to her strong GS efforts – including a podium in Spindleruv Mlyn – plus two top 23 finishes in Super G delivered a final tally of 1,410 points. Just 87 clear of Aicher.

“I have to say to Emma that her skiing has been just outstanding, and today, it was just so cool to watch her, especially on the first run. I really thought the outcome of this day is that she could do this. And that's the coolest thing about ski racing, that anything is possible.”

Aicher close to ‘perfect’

The 22-year-old Aicher ends her breathtaking season second in the Overall standings, second in Downhill, third in Super G, sixth in Slalom and having recorded her best ever result in the GS (fourth in Are). Add on a pair of Olympic silver medals – won in the Downhill and the Team Combined, in which she skied the Slalom leg – and it is no surprise one of the sport’s greatest all-rounders has been cheering on happily from the sidelines.

“I am extremely impressed by Emma’s performance this season, combining speed and slalom disciplines is very, very hard which is why almost no one is doing it anymore,” double Alpine Combined Olympic champion Michelle Gisin (SUI/Salomon) said. “I think she just needs to keep doing what she is doing right now, it’s just perfect.”

As for the racer herself, she is just loving being able to compete at the very top every time she straps the skis on.

Five wins and eight podiums shows she definitely has it.

“It's been a really fun one, also just to keep the fight going until the very last race, it's pretty unbelievable,” she said. “It’s been so much fun racing and just skiing.”

Scheib celebrates season to remember

Scheib has made it fun for all her supporters, finding a top pace in the GS that no one else came near to. The Globe a fitting reward for an utterly dominant season.

All this after starting the season back on 25 October having never climbed to the top step of a World Cup podium in her previous 2832 days as an elite ski racer.

“A season I will remember for ever,” said Scheib, the first Austrian to lift the GS Globe since Eva-Maria Brem (AUT) more than a decade ago.

Rival Rast will also head to the beach with a big smile on her face. Second in the GS and Slalom Globes, Olympic Slalom silver and third in the World Cup Overall is quite an array of honours.

“Fighting with only two disciplines for the Overall is quite amazing, I am really happy about the consistency in every race,” Rast said, before turning her attention to getting even better.

“I will try to find some little solutions for next season. I hope to be fit 100% and we go again for the 1000 points.”

Sara Hector (SWE/Head) was fourth on the day in Hafjell, enough to keep her third in the GS Globe standings for the third season in-a-row.

Grenier & Holtmann shine at last

That is a level of consistency neither the Hafjell runner-up nor the winner can yet match, but both will come back next season far stronger after finishing in style in the Norwegian sunshine.

“It’s fantastic," Holtmann said. "I am so happy to get this now after a tough season. It gives me a lot of joy and a lot of motivation."

A first podium in the GS since December 2019 for Holtmann, while for Grenier it is a first win for more than two years.

Check out the full results from the women’s GS in Hafjell here, with the final women’s Globe standings here.

Also, do please head to Reuters Connect and Actionpress.de to view and purchase a wide selection of photographs from this race and from all FIS events.