Canada's Valerie Grenier, centre, winner of an alpine ski, women's giant slalom race, celebrates with second-placed Norway's Mina Fuerst Holtmann, left, and third-placed Austria's Julia Scheib, at the Lillehammer World Cup Finals, in Hafjell, Norway, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

By The Canadian Press

Canada’s Grenier wins World Cup giant slalom in final race of season

Mar 25, 2026 | 5:56 AM

LILLEHAMMER — Canadian skier Valérie Grenier closed the World Cup alpine season with a victory in women’s giant slalom Wednesday.

The 29-year-old from St-Isidore, Ont., posted a combined time of two minutes 16.79 seconds to stand atop the podium in the final race of the campaign.

Norway’s Mina Fuerst Holtmann finished second, 0.43 seconds back, while Austria’s Julia Scheib was third at 0.57.

Britt Richardson, of Canmore, Alta., finished 20th on Wednesday.

“I really enjoyed it, it was a lot of fun… It’s a great way to end the season, and it definitely makes me more hungry for next season,” Grenier said. “I want to keep improving.”

Annual Event

Abbotsford Canada Day parade accepting applications for participation

A few moments ago

Trio Fibonacci

Chilliwack concert promises trio of talent

22m ago

Information Sought

Missing man in Abbotsford located

2h ago

Grenier led after the opening run and held her edge in the second to secure the win.


It was Grenier’s second podium of the season after a bronze in giant slalom at the December stop in Mont-Tremblant, Que. She finished 22nd in the overall standings with 384 points, best among Canadians.

It was her third career World Cup victory, with her first two coming at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, in 2023 and 2024.

Grenier finished 13th in the giant slalom at last month’s Milan Cortina Olympics.

American star Mikaela Shiffrin, meanwhile, secured a record-tying sixth overall World Cup title after finishing 11th in the race. Germany’s Emma Aicher, who needed a win to have a chance at the crown, placed 12th.

“It’s quite emotional,” Shiffrin said. “This thing sums up a whole season of work and fighting with the whole team and I have to say to Emma that her skiing has been just outstanding and today it was just so cool to watch her, especially on the first run.

“I think the outcome of this day is that she can do this. And I think that’s the coolest thing about ski racing — that anything is possible,” Shiffrin added.

Shiffrin finished the season with 1,410 points, 87 ahead of Aicher, matching Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Pröll for the most overall titles in women’s World Cup history.

Moser-Pröll won five straight titles from 1971-75, then a sixth in 1979. Shiffrin won three straight from 2017-19, then back-to-back titles in 2022 and ’23.

Lindsey Vonn is third on the women’s list with four overall titles.

Marcel Hirscher leads the men’s list with eight overall titles.

With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

The Canadian Press