Workers clear railway tracks during heavy snowfall on the outskirts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Extreme weather conditions forced the closure of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup competition scheduled for the southern German town on Sunday.
Workers clear railway tracks during heavy snowfall on the outskirts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Extreme weather conditions forced the closure of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup competition scheduled for the southern German town on Sunday.
CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
CNN  — 

Marcel Hirscher’s quest for his eighth straight World Cup title has been put on hold.

Heavy snowfall in the southern German ski town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen forced the closure of all the World Cup events set for the weekend.

The giant slalom, where Hirscher was to compete, was called off on Sunday morning after a further 12 inches of snow fell overnight, according to AFP.

There is no word yet on whether the canceled downhill and slalom events will be added to the World Cup calendar later this year.

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Workers clear the finish line before the men's downhill competition of the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany on Saturday.
Workers clear the finish line before the men's downhill competition of the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany on Saturday.
CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

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Marcel Hirscher won the Schladming night slalom in Austria last week.
Marcel Hirscher won the Schladming night slalom in Austria last week.
Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images

Last week Hirscher won at Schladming’s infamous night slalom for his 10th victory of the season and 68th World Cup win overall.

The 29-year-old Austrian skiing superstar is third on the all-time list of World Cup wins, now just 14 behind US speed queen Lindsey Vonn, who is set to retire at the end of this year. Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark, who retired in 1989, leads with 86 race victories.

The Austrian star is the runaway leader in the World Cup overall standings as he looks to push his own record to eight straight titles. He is also on track for a sixth World Cup slalom crown in seven years.

Hirscher, the Olympic giant slalom and combined champion, will look to defend his slalom and giant slalom titles at the World Championships in Are, Sweden later this month.

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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY - JANUARY 20: Lindsey Vonn of USA takes 1st place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Downhill on January 20, 2018 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
Lindsey Vonn to retire after World Ski Champs
00:59 - Source: CNN

Shiffrin dominance

On Saturday, Mikaela Shiffrin maintained her dominance this season with her 13th victory, comfortably winning the slalom World Cup event at Maribor, Slovenia.

The victory made her the first skier – male or female – to win 16 races in a calendar year.

Shiffrin is now just one short of the record of the most wins in a single season behind Vreni Schneider’s 14 races in 1988-89.

The American is bidding for a third straight World Cup overall title and a fourth straight slalom world title.