Shiffrin expands her legend and is the first with nine small globes

On March 11, 2011, the Alpine Ski World Cup met Mikaela Shiffrin. A 15-year-old girl made her debut in the giant slalom in Spindleruv Mlyn (Czech Republic). No one could have imagined that this day would mark the beginning of the greatest skier in history. Whether we talk about men or women, no one is like the Vail native. Today, on the same slope, Cerna Svaty Petr,Shiffrin is even more of a legend than yesterday.

Because the empress of the skiing world closed in Spindleruv Mlyn the fight for the small slalom globe, her fetish specialty. It was something that only had to be put in place and date. And Mikaela has done it in the resort where she began to build an epic that is still going on.

In her possession she already has nine slalom globes, which leaves behind the eight achieved in that specialty by Ingemar Stenmark and those of Lindsey Vonn in downhill. No one before had nine globes of anything, because the overall record is the eight of Stenmark and Hirscher.

To celebrate that feat and increase her absolute dominance, Mikaela Shiffrin set the tone from the start. She was the first to go out, the one who goes down without references. They were not needed, because it was soon seen that the Vail native was in one of those mornings in which the feeling of dominance she exudes is overwhelming. She stopped the clock in 48.80, which meant opening an insurmountable gap for her rivals.

Because no one came within a second of Mikaela. The closest was Switzerland's Wendy Holdener, who crossed the finish line 1.26 behind Shiffrin. These were huge distances, which left the decision of the globe exposed only to a serious error by the American. Because the only one who could fight for the points, the Swiss Camille Rast, who started with 288 points and with only 300 to add at most, went to fourth place. In great form, Rast could do no more than finish 1.66 behind Mikaela.

With that comfort, the 3.70 cut and the second run marked by Austria, Shiffrin was already looking at the ninth globe, the sixth of seven possible this season, the 108th victory of her career and the 71st in slalom. She did so from first place in the opening run, something she has already achieved on 67 occasions. It was not her record, because in 2016, in Aspen, she was 1.99 ahead of Sweden's Frida Hansdotter in the first run

The morning in the Giant Mountains, the cradle of the Elbe, had been marked by Shiffrin's impressive descent. Anything other than a victory for her was already in the realm of an unexpected mistake by the Vail native or a comeback for the ages. With only two slaloms to go to close the season --Are and Hafjell, after the Olympic break -- the battle was on to see who would join Mikaela on the podium.

With two runners within 3.70 of the top 30 cut - this time it was 31, Norway's Bianka Bakke Westhoff and Italy's Emilia Mondinelli - the decisive run got underway. It was all down to the number one, who this time coincided in bib and concept.

Upon reaching the top 10, a barrier marked by Sweden's Sara Hector at a staggering 2.34 behind Shiffrin, the lead was under Austrian control, with the 1:40.50 overall time of Katharina Huber. That was the order of command until the arrival at the finish line of another Austrian, another Katharina, Truppe. The Austrian dominance, with no more chances to win, was overturned by Camille Rast, despite being somewhat ill. For her, it was not a question of raising the white flag. Her presence on the podium was assured.

Holdener and Shiffrin were yet to come. Wendy lost all her advantage and was left off the podium. To win the globe, Shiffrin had to score at least 22 points. Her lead was huge and she managed it with aplomb. She won, once again, by 1.67 over Camille Rast. She is the best. Without a shadow of a doubt. Nine slalom globes, 108 World Cup victories, 71 in slalom, seven out of eight this season, best time in both runs... There are no words to explain everything that Mikaela Shiffrin is

Radiant after her triumph and with the slalom globe assured, Mikaela spoke to Eurosport. "I can't exactly explain how I feel. I can only thank all these people who have supported me so much, where my World Cup career started. I really like competing in Spindleruv Mlyn," explained Mikaela, who, when looking at Cortina, changed her tune: "That's another story, a different challenge."

The slalom globe is already decided, Shiffrin dominates with authority after seven victories in eight races and a total of 780 points out of 800. Rast is second (288 points behind) and Holdener third (422 points behind). For the overall globe, the fight is still alive. Shiffrin has 1,133 points, which is 170 more than Rast and 444 more than Emma Aicher, who finished third in Spindleruv Mlyn.

Mikaela's next challenge is Annemarie Moser-Proll's six overall titles and Marcel Hirscher's eight. But first she has her Olympic vendetta.