Mikaela Shiffrin, the reigning queen of alpine skiing, has announced via Instagram that she will not compete at the upcoming FIS Alpine World Cup races in Beaver Creek, Colorado, following her dramatic crash during the Giant Slalom at Killington Resort, Vermont, on Saturday, November 30. The decision comes as Shiffrin continues to recover from abdominal injuries sustained in the high-speed tumble, which ended her quest for a historic 100th World Cup win on home soil.
Shiffrin’s crash occurred during her second run of the Giant Slalom race in Killington, where she had been leading the race after a stellar first run. As the crowd of nearly 17,000 watched with anticipation, Shiffrin clipped a gate and was sent sprawling into the safety nets, puncturing her abdomen and sustaining muscle trauma in the process. While initial fears were severe, evaluations revealed no fractures, ligament damage, or internal organ injuries, according to an update from U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Killington Resort.
Taking to Instagram from her living room, Shiffrin addressed her fans, thanking them for their support and expressing frustration at her inability to compete at Beaver Creek, a venue she described in the past as “one of my favorite venues on the World Cup circuit.” In her message, she states that she went for another check up in hospital because there was some concern about her colon. “There were some air bubbles where the puncture came pretty close to the colon, and last night’s check confirmed that my colon is indeed intact,” Shiffrin explained in her social media video.
However, the muscle trauma is causing the athlete to be really sore and she admits to finally feeling “a little bit more human” after four days. Whatever punctured her abdomen “tore a cavern into my oblique muscles,” which is causing bleeding, bruising, and pain. While it is hard to give a timeline for her return, she has realized that she will not be able to compete on the Birds of Prey racecourse. However, Shiffrin confirms that she will be at Beaver Creek to cheer on her teammates.
This announcement marks a rare absence for Shiffrin from a World Cup event in the United States, where she has historically excelled. The decision has left fans and commentators wondering when the superstar will return to competition. U.S. Ski & Snowboard has emphasized that Shiffrin’s recovery will be guided by her medical team, with her return to snow yet to be determined. Beaver Creek had a Downhill and a Super-G race scheduled for December 14 and 15, with Shiffrin planning to compete in the Super-G.
For now, all eyes will be on the recovery of one of the sport’s greatest athletes, as the ski racing world awaits her triumphant return.
A post shared by Mikaela Shiffrin ⛷💨 (@mikaelashiffrin)
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