Mikaela Shiffrin Wins Second World Cup Ski Race

Mar 28, 2011; Winter Park, CO, USA; Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates on the awards podium after winning the womens slalom at the U.S. Alpine Championships at Winter Park Resort. Mandatory Credit: Byron Hetzler-USA TODAY Sports /

U.S. skiier Mikaela Shiffrin is making a big splash in her sport. At just 17-years-old Shiffrin has captured her second World Cup win when she won the Zagreb FIS World Cup Night Slalom late last week.

Shiffrin took down World Cup leader Tina Maze by a margin of 1.19 seconds.

“I was really comfortable knowing that my skis felt great,” Shiffrin said, per the New York Times. “I had a lot of energy and was ready to rip it and ski as fast as I could. It’s so fun when you can get in the zone and you feel your feet come under you and nothing can stop you.”

Shiffrin now leads the World Cup slalom standings with 336 points. She has 26 more points than Maze. Maze had some positive words for the rising ski star.

“She’s a good girl, and she’s skiing fast,” said Maze. “It’s really impressive how consistent she is at her age, and she just keeps rock ’n’ rolling.”

Despite gaining the lead, Shiffrin is staying focused.

“I think it’s going to be tough to keep it,” Shiffrin said, about attaining the slalom points lead. “A lot of girls are trying to get this bib. I have it right now, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it.”

If Shiffrin can hang on to the points lead, she would become only the second American woman to capture the title. The only other U.S. woman to achieve the accomplishment was Tamara McKinney back in 1984.

Mikaela Shiffrin is definitely a name to keep an eye on.