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Moltzan Skis to Second in Åre Giant Slalom; Four in Top 15

By Sierra Ryder
March, 14 2026
paula
Paula Moltzan skis to her fifth World Cup podium in the 2025-26 season in Åre, Sweden. (Getty Images)

On Saturday’s final regular season World Cup giant slalom, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Paula Moltzan skied to her fifth World Cup podium this season, claiming second place. Teammates Mikaela Shiffrin, AJ Hurt and Nina O’Brien also came out firing, with Shiffrin in fifth, Hurt ninth and O'Brien 15th. 

“It was a challenging course but so fun,” said Moltzan. “It feels really nice to be on the podium again.”

Under sunny skies in Åre, Sweden, the racers faced a slick and fast surface that demanded precision and aggression from the start. The tight race came down to two strong runs, with Moltzan pushing the pace on both to stay firmly in the hunt for the podium.

“I had a really nice first run which is super key here,” said Moltzan. “The second run was a little scrappy but I was pushing.” 

It was Moltzan's 10th World Cup podium in her career; half of her podiums have come in the 2025-26 season. 

Shiffrin also delivered a strong performance, skiing into fifth place despite a massive first run error. Wearing bib six, she was in the lead by more than a half second before a sizable mistake set her back 2.29 seconds off the pace. But her result put her in a strong position for a run two jump, and she executed to jump from 12th place to fifth. The result also gained her valuable World Cup points toward the FIS Overall Crystal Globe heading into the final races. 

"I felt really good mentally both runs," said Shiffrin. "The mistake was a bit of a problem, but at least I could fight for a second run and move up."  

Hurt added another top-10 result in ninth, while O’Brien rounded out a strong team showing in 15th. With four athletes finishing in the top 15, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team capped off the regular season giant slalom with one of its strongest collective results of the winter. 

The winner of the race was Austrian Julia Scheib who secured the FIS Crystal Globe in the giant slalom discipline. New Zealand's Alice Robinson took third place. 

The World Cup tour now turns to the World Cup Finals where the world’s top athletes will compete in the last races of the season and Crystal Globes in Lillehammer, Norway March 21-25. 

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

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AJ Hurt headshot image
AJ Hurt
AJ Hurt's passion for skiing and ski racing began at a very early age. Growing up in North Lake Tahoe, Palisades Tahoe was her winter playground. At four years old, she entered the Team Palisades Tahoe and fell in love with the sport.
Nina O’Brien headshot image
Nina O’Brien
Nina O’Brien started skiing out of Palisades Tahoe where she participated on the Mighty Mite program. O’Brien began her racing career on the West Coast with Team Palisades before moving back East to attend Burke Mountain Academy.
Paula Moltzan headshot image
Paula Moltzan
Paula Moltzan is a Minnesota girl hailing from Buck Hill Ski Racing Club and Ski and Snowboard Club Vail. A slalom and giant slalom specialist, Moltzan became the first woman to win a slalom gold at Junior World Championships.
Mikaela Shiffrin headshot image
Mikaela Shiffrin
Three-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world champion Mikaela Shiffrin began turning heads almost instantly when she finished top 15 in her first two NorAm Cup races.