In the lead after the first run, her closest rival Wendy Holdener eliminated on a fault just before her, Mikaela Shiffrin had to unfold her usual script, as during the giant Thursday: skis on the slope, solid run, finish line, victory, smiles, media.

But the immense American champion, borrowed, completely missed her second passage, with a very unusual 29th time, by multiplying the small faults and the approximations on a track which alternated between shadow and light.

Even with a very bad passage, the 27-year-old American won her third medal in Méribel after the silver in the super-G last week and the gold in the giant on Thursday.

It is his 14th podium in 17 starts in six editions of the World Championships, a record for the modern era, just behind the 15 medals of the German Christl Cranz in the 1930s, when the Worlds were annual.

The Colorado skier, medalist for the sixth time in slalom (four titles and a bronze in addition to the silver of the day), seems to have overcome the unexpected departure of her historic coach Mike Day on Tuesday, which abruptly ended seven years of collaboration when the champion had told her of her desire to change methods at the end of the season.

The American Mikaela Shiffrin in Méribel on February 18, 2023 © Jeff PACHOUD / AFP

Her Worlds over, the champion will resume, perhaps next week, the World Cup circuit and her hunt for the 86 victories of Swede Ingemar Stenmark.

He only misses one success to equal the most emblematic record in world skiing.

No podium in seven years

On the top step of the podium, Laurence Saint-Germain displays a broad smile.

The Quebecer created the biggest surprise of these Worlds, she who had never done better than sixth in more than seven years of slalom career.

The Canadian skied on fire in the first run (third time) to achieve her feat.

"I didn't expect this at all, it's unbelievable. I was stressed before my second run, I made mistakes, but I was like 'go down, down, down!' and it worked”, she reacted to the stadium microphone.

It offers Canada a surprising fourth medal in these World Championships, after James Crawford's title in the super-G, Cameron Alexander's bronze in the downhill and the bronze in the mixed team event.

Canadian Laurence Saint-Germain in Méribel on February 18, 2023 © Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

"She's such a humble, respectful person. Again this morning, we were warming up, she congratulated me on my fourth place on the parallel. If I could have congratulated her in advance on her title of world champion , I would have done it!”, greeted the young Frenchwoman Marie Lamure (21), 16th.

Best tricolor, Nastasia Noens took 15th place after one of her last races, before retiring at the end of the season.

© 2023 AFP