A little over a week ago, Cami Rast (SUI) snatched a World Cup victory away from Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) in dramatic fashion, giving the American her first slalom loss of the 2025-26 season. 

She took that personally. 

Shiffrin overcame soft snow, a foggy piste and elite competition to win the annual night slalom in Flachau, Austria (1:50.52). It was her sixth win in the discipline this Cup campaign and 70th of her career. She now has an all-time leading 107 Cup victories.

It was another double podium raceday for the Americans — the second in a row for the women — as Paula Moltzan (USA) finished as the runner up (+0.41).  

Austria's own Katharina Truppe came in third place (+0.65), narrowly edging Rast (+0.67), last year's course winner. It was the first time since early December that the Swiss star failed to secure a podium finish.

Moltzan threw down a pair of stellar runs, which nearly propelled her to her first ever World Cup victory. However, Shiffrin, always the "Boogeywoman," squashed those dreams, as she's done to so many others. According to Peacock's Dan Hicks who was on play-by-play duties, the last American not named Shiffrin to win a Cup slalom was Lindsey Vonn in 2009. That was over 17 years ago.

"I’ve skied with Mikaela since I was 13, and it’s nothing new," Moltzan said of falling just short of her teammate. "But it doesn’t mean I don’t want to beat her. We talk about it all the time, and it’s going to happen at some point. I’ll keep fighting until I get there."

Moltzan has been on fire of late. In the last 10 days, she's collected two podiums and added a wooden spoon for good measure. It's an impressive turnaround for the Minneapolis, Minnesota native who ended 2025 in almost the worst way possible: posting two DNFs that included a crash, injuring her back. 

Falling happens in skiing quite often but how Moltzan has gotten up and unleashed her best stretch of the season is a testament to her toughness. 

"It’s the first time my back hasn’t been in a crazy amount of pain since Semmering," she revealed. "First slalom podium of the year. It feels like a bit long awaited, but I’m very grateful."

Nina O'Brien, another recent addition to Team USA, placed 13th, thanks in large part to a dominant second run. She was 23rd after Run 1, but clocking in at the second fastest time of Run 2, only 0.26 second behind Lara Colturi (ALB), leap-frogged her up 10 positions.

Liv Moritz (USA) came in 32nd, her strongest finish of the Cup season. Because she failed to reach the top-30, though, she neither qualified for the second run, nor picked up points.

33 out of 76 racers DNF'd in Flachau, which included AJ Hurt (USA), Elisabeth Bocock (USA) and Katie Hensien (USA), who made her first start since the season opener in Soelden. 

During a training session in November, Hensien fractured her tibia, forcing her to miss time. Fortunately, the injury didn't require surgery, allowing the former Olympian to return in under two months.

The slalom in Flachau represented the final technical Cup race before the Olympic qualification period comes to a close (Jan. 18). Shiffrin, Moltzan and O'Brien have all been selected, and with a couple of Team USA roster spots still open, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will gather to determine who should fill them.