Mikaela Shiffrin's reindeers and the names that reveal much about Alpine skiing's snow queen
Winners of the annual World Cup slalom race in Levi, Finland are 'given' a reindeer as part of the prize-giving ceremony, then named by the athlete. The American has seven, so what are they all called?
Alpine Skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin is two reindeer short of her own sleigh.
This most unlikely start to an article about arguably the greatest Alpine skier of all time – G.O.A.T., if you will – comes courtesy of the annual World Cup slalom race in Levi, Finland, in which the winner is 'given' a reindeer, an actual reindeer, as part of the prize-giving ceremony.
The American has 'won' seven of the antlered ones – so far – the most recent in November, in the first slalom race of the 2023/24 FIS World Cup season, a series next in line of importance to the Olympics and World Championships.
Kept in Finland with its herd family, the podium topper is at least allowed to name the beastie, with this feature of the race becoming quite the talking point on the tour, particularly in regard to Shiffrin who has 'won' so many reindeer that naming them has become quite the social conversation, too.
Statistically the most successful skier of all time after claiming an 87th win in Are in March 2023 to beat the previous record holder Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden on his home snow – and extended with every passing race – Shiffrin is the Snow White to the herd. But two more in Levi and she'll catch up with Santa and his sleigh.
So, to the first reindeer, won in 2013, and its all too familiar moniker, and perhaps the obvious choice for the teenager who would have had little idea that she'd go on to win so many.
Mikaela Shiffrin names reindeer number one
Rudolph. That was the first one. Well, it had to be, didn't it?
An excited Instagram post at the time stated she couldn't sleep, maybe it was jetlag, she pondered or maybe it was the excitement of winning in Levi – amazingly already the ninth podium of her burgeoning career – revealed by the hashtag #chasingreindeer and #santasworkshop.
Months later she gave an update on how her first heifer was faring, taking her responsibility as a teenage reindeer owner seriously by checking in on her charge.
"Rudolph is healthy and happy!! I miss him," her post read, accompanied by obligatory sad face emoji.
It would be another three years, in 2016, before Rudolph gained a buddy.
"Yes, I have a reindeer named Sven," hashtagged the now Olympic slalom champion from Sochi 2014, referencing the blockbuster film Frozen, still ever-present for parents and children everywhere struggling to let it go despite being released the Year of Shiffrin's First Reindeer.
Two years on, and now a two-time Olympic champion with gold in the giant slalom at PyeongChang 2018 earlier in the year, Shiffrin won another snow-dusted furry friend.
By now realising this reindeer-winning situation was increasingly 'a thing', she attempted to give some direction to her third reindeer in the photo shoot at the prize-giving in the second race of the 2018/19 season.
“Mr. Gru, would you please stop trying to eat my ski boots and LOOK AT THE CAMERA,” Shiffrin admonished the latest brute who appears to have the characteristics akin to his grouchy Despicable Me namesake.
Mikaela Shiffrin wins women's slalom in Levi Finland, on 17 November 2018 and gifted another reindeer for her growing herd
GOATs and reindeers
The 2019 race win was quite the milestone, so this reindeer's name took on a more meaningful tone, especially as anticipation now grew ahead of the naming shenanigans.
"Everyone is asking, and the answer is no - I don't have a reindeer name yet, but I've thought of one and I will share it soon, so STAY TUNED. I think you're going to like it 🥳🙃🙃."
When the name came, it was a goodie and tribute to another of the sport's all-time stars.
That man, Ingemar.
The race was the 41st slalom title of Shiffrin's incredible career, taking her past the 40 World Cup win record of the Swedish great in skiing's shortest and most technical discipline.
With great deference, Shiffrin checked first before naming her latest reindeer after the man concerned.
"I have this record to my name–a milestone that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would achieve when I was younger–but all I could think was, Ingemar was better. I don’t see it as “breaking his record”, I am just continuing it.
"So even though the idea of naming my reindeer after Ingemar was born from the talk of “breaking” the record, in the end that is not why I chose to do it.
"It is simply a tribute to one of absolute greatest ski racers to ever live.💛 "
Double header brings sunshine and poignancy
The next two wins in Levi in November 2022 came within a week of each other as the season opened with a double header due to inclement weather in Central Europe resulting in the cancellation of the first three races.
Reindeer number one of the week was sweetly named for her new teammate Ava Sunshine, who became the first US skier since Brennan Rubie in 2012 to score points on their World Cup debut.
"Our little buddy from last night will be named “Sunny” ☀️(short for Sunshine) in honor of @ava.jemison’s spectacular first World Cup race and also because there should always be a little sunshine in Levi☺️," said Shiffrin of her 20-year-old compatriot.
The second had a more poignant back story, named after her dad who had died suddenly in February 2020 after an accident at home.
"The name is “Lorax,” in honor of my Dad and in extension my whole family- who have taught me, supported and encouraged me, and have been my lifeline for these last years since he passed," shared Shiffrin.
Reindeer kiss from the queen of the snow
And so, to 2023, and the name of the latest reindeer, complete with an amusing caption of a frightened-looking reindeer as Shiffrin puckered up to give him a kiss.
"Thank goodness Aleks doesn’t look at me like this when I try to kiss him😂…" posted Shiffrin, referencing her Alpine skiing boyfriend and two-time Olympic medallist himself, Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.
Put out to tender on Instagram for playful fan engagement, multiple names were suggested.
These included Iga, after tennis player Iga Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam tennis champion at 22, with whom Shiffrin has formed a lovely bond after the Polish athlete cited Shiffrin as a really good role model in an interview. The American returned the compliment and a friendship developed.
Other suggestions included Muffin, after a beloved cat that had passed away a few years ago; Loopie, a playful nickname she uses for her boyfriend; Lucky as in lucky number seven (reindeer) but also because she felt lucky to win the race after her ever-present rival, Slovakia's Petra Vlhova, herself an owner of six reindeers courtesy of Levi wins, missed a gate on the second run after dominating the first, ahead of her American rival by 0.76 seconds.
Petra was therefore another suggestion, which Shiffrin considered, saying she, "loves the idea of paying tribute to @petravlhova13’s performance over the weekend and how she has pushed my own level of skiing higher over the years".
She also toyed with Taylor Swift, cheekily suggesting it was to do with the singer trending on social media due to the re-release of her hugely successful 1989 (Taylor's Version) album.
But in the end, Shiffrin opted for a more personal name. You'll never guess. No, really, you won't.
Grogu.
No, us neither, but apparently Grogu, affectionately dubbed Baby Yoda by fans, is one of Shiffrin's favourite characters from the Star Wars television series, The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
"His mannerisms are so funny and he’s simultaneously adorable and badass," posted Shiffrin.
"Last year during the season, I started to use him as inspiration when I would get nervous at races and it became kind of a running joke with my team and family. Basically whenever I seem to be feeling a lot of pressure someone close to me will whisper “Groguuuuu!” And that helps me to kind of reset🥴."
Simultaneously adorable and badass? Sounds very much like the snow queen who continues to slay it on the slopes.
- Mikaela Shiffrin's next race is on 21 December in Courchevel, France in her favourite slalom discipline. See here for the full 2023-24 race calendar.
Mikaela Shiffrin wins the women's World Cup slalom on 20 November 2022 in Levi, Finland to claim a sixth reindeer