Ingemar Stenmark's Alpine Skiing Record Falls as Marcel Hirscher Wins 87th World Cup Race

Marcel Hirscher made alpine skiing history on Tuesday, winning his 87th World Cup race to surpass Ingemar Stenmark's legendary record that had stood for over four decades, claiming victory in the men's slalom at the World Cup finals in Soldeu, Andorra, in front of a jubilant crowd of 15,000 spectators.

The 37-year-old Austrian was flawless in both runs down the challenging Grandvalira course, posting a combined time of 1:42.18 to finish 0.31 seconds ahead of Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen and 0.44 ahead of Switzerland's Loic Meillard. Hirscher's victory was his fifth of the 2026 season and came in what many believe will be his final campaign before retirement.

"This is the most emotional victory of my career," Hirscher said through tears during the flower ceremony. "Ingemar was my childhood hero, and his record seemed untouchable when I started racing. To break it here at the World Cup finals, in what might be my last season, it's overwhelming. I never thought I would reach 87 wins when I got my first victory all those years ago."

Stenmark, who was in attendance to witness the historic moment, embraced Hirscher at the finish line and personally congratulated the Austrian on surpassing his mark of 86 World Cup victories. The Swedish legend's record had stood since 1989 and was widely considered one of alpine skiing's most unbreakable achievements until Hirscher began his remarkable run of consistency over the past decade.

Hirscher's path to the record has been marked by unprecedented dominance in technical disciplines, with Tuesday's slalom victory adding to his collection of 69 slalom wins and 18 giant slalom victories. His ability to maintain peak performance well into his thirties has defied conventional wisdom about alpine skiing careers and inspired a generation of racers who grew up watching his technical brilliance.

The record-breaking victory caps what has been a farewell tour of sorts for Hirscher, who has hinted that the 2026 season will be his last as a full-time World Cup competitor. His 87 wins, combined with eight overall World Cup titles and seven Olympic medals, cement his status as one of the greatest alpine skiers in history. As he contemplates retirement, Hirscher's legacy as the most successful World Cup racer of all time ensures his place among the sport's immortals, having finally surpassed the seemingly insurmountable standard set by Sweden's skiing legend four decades ago.