Mikaela Shiffrin secured a record-tying sixth women's overall World Cup skiing title by holding off a challenge from emerging German rival Emma Aicher in the final race of the season Wednesday in Hafjell, Norway.

Shiffrin needed only to finish in the top 15 of a giant slalom, and the United States standout secured that before Aicher even began her second run.

Shiffrin finished 11th and Aicher — who needed to win the race and hope that Shiffrin finished 16th or worse to clinch her first title — finished 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 was only 17th after the first run, but came down in first position in the second and then clinched it when the next two starters placed behind her.

After being told it was over, Shiffrin dropped to her knees, put her right hand to her face and appeared to be in tears as she asked her team: "Are you sure?"

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Shiffrin's fiance, and the 2020 overall men's champion, was with her.

Aicher put the pressure on by skiing into third during the first run, but then the German made a major mistake early in her second run and lost all her speed.

"I had many moments where I thought, 'Emma can win this race, and I might not make points,'" Shiffrin said. "I'm very grateful right now, because I think this could have gone differently."

On par with Moser-Proll

Shiffrin matched Austrian downhill great Annemarie Moser-Proll, who won her six titles in the 1970s.

Moser-Proll 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.

And at 31, Shiffrin isn't done yet.

"I'm ready for another season — or maybe not yet — but I'm excited to keep ski racing," she said.

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

Valerie Grenier of Canada added to her first-run advantage to claim her third career World Cup victory.

Mina Fuerst Holtmann of Norway finished second on home snow, 0.43 behind, and discipline champion Julia Scheib was third, 0.57 behind.

Shiffrin was 2.02 behind and Aicher was 2.04 behind after the mistake in her second run dropped her down from third after the opening leg.

Shiffrin finished 87 points ahead of Aicher — 1,410 points to 1,323 points.

It's been another stellar season for Shiffrin, who claimed the third Olympic gold of her career by dominating the slalom at last month's Milano-Cortina Games.

Shiffrin also won nine of the 10 World Cup slaloms this season and has a record 110 victories across all disciplines — by far the most in the World Cup by any man or woman. Ingemar Stenmark is next best with 86 wins in the 1970s and '80s.

Aicher a rare all-arounder

The 22-year-old Aicher has never won a World Cup giant slalom and has a career-best finish of fourth, achieved this month at Are in Sweden.

The only current skier who competes in every event, Aicher was aiming for her first overall title after taking home two silver medals — in downhill and team combined — from the Milano-Cortina Games.

Aicher, who has a Swedish mother and a German father and grew up mostly in Sweden, won three World Cup races this season — one downhill and two super-Gs.

Scheib already clinched the discipline title in the penultimate giant slalom of the season; while Olympic GS champion Federica Brignone shut her season down early.

US wins Nations Cup

Shiffrin's results and Vonn's domination in downhill — until her horrific crash at the Olympics — helped the US women secure the Nations Cup title for the first time since 1982 by finishing ahead of perennial winner Austria.

With Olympic downhill champion Breezy Johnson, Paula Moltzan and Jacqueline Wiles also registering podium finishes, the US produced 11 World Cup victories and 27 podium finishes, with 16 different athletes contributing points throughout the season.

"This achievement is a testament to the strength of this team from top to bottom," said US Ski & Snowboard chief of sport Anouk Patty.

"Everyone played a role in this success."

Tamara McKinney, Cindy Nelson and Christin Cooper led the US to the 1982 title.

Agencies Via Xinhua