In a stunning turn of events, American ski racing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin crashed out dramatically while leading the first run of a World Cup giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont on Saturday. The 29-year-old was charging hard in pursuit of a historic 100th career World Cup victory when disaster struck.
Shiffrin, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning giant slalom world champion, caught an edge midway through her second run on the icy New England course. In the blink of an eye, she was somersaulting out of control at high speed before slamming violently into the protective safety netting lining the slope.
Gasps of shock and concern echoed through the large crowd of spectators, coaches and fellow competitors as Shiffrin lay motionless in the fencing. Ski patrol and medical personnel rushed to her aid, carefully assessing and stabilizing the fallen champion for several tense minutes. Eventually, Shiffrin was able to sit up and acknowledge the cheering fans as she was carefully loaded onto a waiting toboggan sled and transported off the mountain for further evaluation.
Chasing History
Shiffrin entered the Killington races just one victory shy of becoming only the third alpine skier in history, male or female, to reach the elusive 100-win World Cup milestone. Only Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark (86 wins) and recently retired American teammate Lindsey Vonn (82) have achieved the feat.
The Colorado native’s quest for win number 100 will now be put on hold indefinitely as she recovers from this latest setback. There was no immediate word on the extent of any potential injuries sustained in the frightening high-speed tumble and impact, but Shiffrin appeared to be alert and in relatively good spirits as she waved appreciatively to fans while being sledded away.
Hector Takes the Win
With Shiffrin out, Sweden’s Sara Hector capitalized to capture her first World Cup giant slalom victory of the young season. The reigning Olympic GS gold medalist from Beijing put down a sizzling second run to vault from third place to the top of the podium.
Hector’s winning two-run combined time of 1:53.08 edged surprise second-place finisher Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia by 0.54 seconds. Switzerland’s Camille Rast rounded out the podium in third.
“It’s so sad of course for Mikaela, a crash like that after she was skiing so well. It breaks my heart,”
– Sara Hector on Shiffrin’s stunning crash while leading
Shiffrin’s Sensational (and Injury-Plagued) Career
Since bursting onto the World Cup scene as a 15-year-old prodigy in 2010, Shiffrin has established herself as one of the most dominant ski racers in history. Her meteoric rise and sustained excellence have drawn comparisons to fellow American phenoms like Michael Phelps and Serena Williams.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Shiffrin. She has endured several significant injuries and setbacks over her illustrious career:
- A serious knee injury that sidelined her for most of the 2015-16 season
- A devastating crash in downhill training that left her with a concussion and sprained MCL in 2017
- The tragic death of her father Jeff in 2020 that caused her to take a leave of absence from competition
Through it all, Shiffrin’s grit, resilience and unmatched talent have allowed her to keep chasing wins and rewriting the record books. Saturday’s crash is just the latest test of her renowned toughness and ability to bounce back stronger than ever.
What’s Next?
With the heart of the World Cup season and world championships rapidly approaching, the ski racing world will be anxiously monitoring Shiffrin’s status in the coming days and weeks. While the full extent of any injuries is not yet known, those close to the American star remain cautiously optimistic she’ll be back chasing win 100 and more podiums before too long.
The U.S. Ski Team has not released an official statement or update on Shiffrin’s condition, but that information is expected in the next 24-48 hours as she undergoes further medical evaluation. For now, fans, teammates and opponents are all wishing the generational talent a full and speedy recovery – and eagerly awaiting her return to the mountain where she has accomplished so much already in her young but storied career.
