Mikaela Shiffrin isn’t going to sit down on the sidelines any longer. The 2-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time General World Cup champion went on the Immediately Present on Thursday morning and introduced that she would return to the FIS Alpine Ski Racing circuit earlier than the top of the season. In actual fact, she’s eyeing a return earlier than the top of January.
“I’m truly going to be heading over to Europe within the subsequent couple of days to race my first World Cup in Courchevel,” Shiffrin informed Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin throughout the present.
Shiffrin, 29, has needed to sit out for months of this 12 months’s ski racing season after she crashed on the Killington Stifel World Cup Race in November. She was impaled throughout the crash and suffered critical accidents. GearJunkie interviewed her in her dwelling shortly after she’d undergone surgical procedure. On the time, she didn’t point out returning to ski racing to complete the 2024/25 Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup.
Apparently, although, her restoration has been going properly. This week, Shiffrin examined the water, training Big Slalom gates at her dwelling mountains within the Vail Valley. She posted a video teaser to Instagram with the phrases, “Courchevel 1/30 … See you quickly.”
The Courchevel Stifel World Cup Race is held on the Emile-Allais slalom stadium slope, a course Shiffrin has already gained seven occasions. This time round, there’s rather a lot on the road, although. Shiffrin gained’t simply be aiming for the rostrum. She’s racing for her a hundredth World Cup win. If she’s profitable, she’ll turn into the primary alpine skier to ever attain that milestone.
Shiffrin, Racing for 100 — Once more
When Shiffrin crashed on the Killington World Cup Race, the stress was undoubtedly immense. She was standing on high of 99 World Cup wins, and everybody was eagerly watching, ready to see her make historical past.
Her crash derailed that intense second. And with the Cortina Winter Olympic Video games on the horizon, it additionally sidelined Shiffrin throughout an especially vital World Cup Racing season.
However there may be nonetheless loads of time for the elite ski racer to present her opponents a run for his or her cash. Following the Courchevel World Cup, there are 5 extra race levels: Sestriere, Italy; Kvitfjell, Norway; Åre, Sweden; La Thuile, Italy; and the World Cup Season Remaining at Solar Valley, Idaho, U.S.
You’ll be able to watch the races dwell on Peacock, and NBC can even play replays on its broadcast community.
All-Star Lineup of World Cup Racers
With the Cortina Winter Olympic Video games only a 12 months away, feminine ski racers have introduced their A-games to the 2024/25 Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup. Heavy hitters like Sofia Goggia, Cornelia Hütter, and Federica Brignone have dominated the podiums this season within the absence of one of many biggest racers of all time.
The Olympic prospects have additionally introduced different athletes out of the woodwork. This season, Lindsay Vonn got here out of retirement on the age of 40, together with her eyes on making the U.S. Olympic Ski Group once more.
This weekend, racers will compete within the Bavarian Alps on the Garmish Basic in Germany. Then, they’re off to Courchevel, France, the place Shiffrin might be ready for them.
