Mikaela Shiffrin eyes World Cup record at site of her 1st victory

History beckons for Mikaela Shiffrin on Friday when the American skier competes in one of her best events.

Shiffrin is seeking a record-tying 86th win on the World Cup skiing circuit, a number that would equal Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark's mark from the 1970s and 80s.

Shiffrin earned win No. 85 six weeks ago. She had three chances to match Stenmark's record last week but those were all speed races — not Shiffrin's specialty.

On Friday, Shiffrin will again try to make history in a giant slalom in Åre, Sweden. That will be followed by a slalom on Saturday. Both races will be carried live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

Shiffrin has won 19 World Cup giant slaloms and 52 slaloms in her career, along with an Olympic gold medal in each.

Stenmark has said he does not plan to be in Åre, preferring to watch on television, but he gave Shiffrin an enthusiastic endorsement in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Shiffrin, though, can do it all. In the two super-Gs and one downhill last weekend in Kvitfjell, Norway, she placed between fourth and seventh. Those results were enough for her to win her fifth overall World Cup title with six races remaining this season.

"I can take a little bit of weight of my shoulders," Shiffrin said in Kvitfjell after moving into second place on the all-time women's list, one behind Annemarie Moser-Pröll. "That was like the big, big goal for me this season."

The title also moved Shiffrin ahead of former United States teammate Lindsey Vonn, who won four overall titles and 82 World Cup races before retiring four years ago.

WATCH | Shiffrin passes Vonn with 83rd career win:

Now it's back to chasing Stenmark's record, and it's looking good. Three of Shiffrin's 19 victories