How it unfolded
The United States' Mikaela Shiffrin had already passed Lindsey Vonn's women's record of 82 wins at Kranjska Gora in early January 2023, and just days later, on 24 January, won a giant slalom at Kronplatz in Italy to surpass Ingemar Stenmark's all-time record of 86 wins, a mark that had stood since 1989. A record unbroken for 34 years fell in that moment. Shiffrin had already been a precocious talent, winning her first World Cup race and a world championship slalom title at 17 and Olympic slalom gold at 18, but these two record-breaking wins made her the outright winningest racer in history. Stenmark himself sent a message of congratulations acknowledging the new record.
Why it still matters
This win saw a men's record that had stood for 34 years surpassed by a woman, reigniting debate over whether comparing win totals across sexes is meaningful. It was also a decisive milestone on Shiffrin's path to 100 wins, and after this record fell she was firmly established as the most successful racer in the sport's history.