American champion Mikaela Shiffrin, absent from the circuit since a fall at the end of January, confirmed on Saturday that she plans her return for the weekend of March 9-10 in Are, Sweden, where two World Cup events will take place alpine skiing.
Shiffrin, five-time holder of the big globe and the best record in the history of alpine skiing, continues her convalescence after being hit in the knee during a fall on January 26 in Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy). “I have made good progress in the shadows (and) I feel better and better every day,” said the 28-year-old American in a video posted on her social networks. “We are planning a return to competition in Are on March 9 and 10. I can’t wait to be there,” she continued, amid images showing her in the gym but also on skis, for the first time since her fall.
A giant and a slalom are planned this weekend of March 9-10 in the Swedish resort, just before the finals in Saalbach, Austria. Due to her absence of more than a month at the heart of the season, Mikaela Shiffrin left the field open in the World Cup rankings to the Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami. “As soon as we realized that it wouldn’t be possible for (the Andorra (Soldeu) and Val di Fassa (Italy, this weekend) events), I kind of got used to the idea that the general was becoming unattainable,” underlined the Colorado native.
However, she claimed to have followed with great pleasure the events contested in her absence, praising the performances of her rival in passing. “Laura in particular has been amazing to watch ski,” she said.
With ten races remaining in the season, Gut-Behrami, 32, has won four of his last six races and is 205 points ahead of Shiffrin.
If the first Super-G event scheduled for Saturday in Val di Fassa was canceled due to the weather, she can still earn points on Sunday during the second.
