( CNN ) -- U.S. ski star Mikaela Shiffrin underlined her status as the best slalom racer on the World Cup circuit in Finland Saturday then landed the prize of her childhood dreams -- a reindeer ! Teenager Shiffrin was excited to relegate Maria Hoefl-Riesch and Tina Maze into the minor places , but absolutely thrilled to get an early Christmas present , whom she quickly named Rudolph . `` Who would n't want to get a reindeer ? I remember being five years old and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was my favorite song , '' she told the official World Cup skiing website . `` I think we will be getting along . I hope that when he get 's older and trained I can go for a ride on a sledge with him , '' added Shiffrin . She wo n't be taking the reindeer with her on her travels , but will meet Rudolph again when she returns to the Finnish ski resort of Levi for further races . With Sochi 2014 looming , Shiffrin 's performance laid down an early marker and reigning Olympic champion Hoefl-Riesch from Germany was 1.06 seconds behind after two runs , with Slovenia 's Maze 1.61 seconds slower . Maze was disappointed to be so far back and to miss out on a prize she also coveted . `` I already was making room for a reindeer back home , but unfortunately it was not my turn to win it , '' she said with a smile . Fellow skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn of the United States also claimed a four-legged prize after winning a race in Val d'Isere in France , opting for a cow rather than the prize money . A cow was also presented to Roger Federer by grateful organizers when he returned to play the Swiss Open in Gstaad this year . When he took part in the same event in 2003 after taking his first Wimbledon title he was also given a cow . For Shiffrin , the reindeer was the icing on the cake after a superb performance , keeping the red World Cup leaders ' bib she earned last season . `` There 's definitely some relief there ... one of my goals is to keep my slalom standings , and it 's nice to know I 'm not that far off , '' she said before going off to place a picture of herself with the reindeer on her Facebook page .
Mikaela Shiffrin wins season opening slalom in World Cup . Beats Maria Hoefl-Riesch and Tina Maze in Levi , Finland . - Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics for first time since 1972. Names it Rudolph after her favorite song as a young child .