Shiffrin Wins Ninth Reindeer
Mikaela Shiffrin has won the opening slalom race of the 25-26 season at Levi in Finland. As well as taking here 102nd victory, Shiffrin also secured her the ninth reindeer for her herd, the prize, besides the cash, to winners at Levi.
The greatest ski racer of all time, Mikaela Shiffrin, won the opening slalom race of the 25-26 season on Saturday, taking place on the Levi Black slope in Finland, where reindeer outnumber people.
As well as taking here 102nd victory, Shiffrin also secured her the ninth reindeer for her herd, the prize, besides the cash, to winners at Levi.
The American’s victory was also her 65th slalom victory, further extending her victory there. She clocked a combined time of 1:48.92 and finishing a commanding 1.66 seconds ahead of Albania’s Lara Colturi. It was Shiffrin’s third consecutive win at Levi and her fifth in six years at the venue, reinforcing her dominance on one of the circuit’s most technically demanding courses.
Shiffrin has named each of her reindeer, have so far been christened Rudolph, Sven, Mr. Gru, Ingemar (named after former GOAT ski racer in terms of World Cup wins, Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark), Sunny, Lorax, Grogu and Rori.
The newest addition, a male, has yet to be named,
“I usually wait until I meet them before deciding,” Shiffrin said after the race.
All nine of Mikaela’s reindeer reside at the Ounaskievari Reindeer Farm, just outside Levi, where they spend winters in the snowy paddocks and summers roaming free in the Arctic wilderness. Farm owner Johanna Hietanen, who cares for the animals, equips each with a GPS collar and releases them into the wild each spring.
