Splendor in the Alps: Shiffrin, Kilde shine
It was clear — crystal globe clear — that skiing’s power couple had a rewarding day in the French Alps.
Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde excelled in Courchevel in their first races of the World Cup Finals — the week when all the crystal globe trophies are awarded in men’s and women’s skiing.
They hugged, kissed and congratulated each other near after Shiffrin increased her lead in the overall standings by winning the women’s downhill.
“Good job! What a day,” Kilde said to his girlfriend after the American’s surprising win in the speed event.
By earning 100 World Cup points, while closest rival Petra Vlhová failed to score in 16th place, three-time overall champion Shiffrin turned an expected duel into a contest she can clinch today.
“It was incredible, how she raced was perfect,” Kilde told Austrian broadcaster ORF. “Together, this was a cool and incredible performance from both of us.”
Maybe Shiffrin was inspired by her boyfriend’s crystal globe-winning success just an hour earlier on the same Eclipse course.
Kilde started the last men’s downhill of the season with a 23-point lead over Olympic downhill champion Beat Feuz in the discipline standings. It held up, barely. Kilde finished fourth, one spot behind Feuz.
Coupling the men’s and women’s World Cup circuits for the season-ending races in France seemed to work for Shiffrin and Kilde, who trained on the same course since Monday.
“To be able to talk about that and discuss it, is incredibly helpful for me to improve on my downhill,” said Shiffrin, who struggled at the Beijing Olympics and left China without a medal. “But it’s also special to be able to share that.”
Shiffrin’s 74th career World Cup win — and only her third in downhill — gave her a 156-point lead going into the super-G today.
The men’s overall title was essentially settled last weekend but Marco Odermatt made his victory over Kilde, the 2020 champion, mathematically certain on Wednesday. Odermatt placed second, 0.34 behind winner Vincent Kriechmayr, to pad his lead even further beyond the 300-point mark with three races left.