Mikaela Shiffrin discusses recovery, rivalry, and her return to World Cup racing

Mikaela Shiffrin reflects on her recovery and return to World Cup racing

Mikaela Shiffrin, the most successful Alpine skier in World Cup history, is set to return to competition following a season-ending injury. On November 30, 2024, during her home race in Killington, Vermont, Shiffrin sustained an abdominal puncture that necessitated surgery. Following weeks of intensive rehabilitation, she will compete in a night slalom in Courchevel, France, on January 30, 2025, exactly 60 days after her injury. This will be her final race before competing at the World Championships in Saalbach, Austria, in February.

In an exclusive interview with Ski Racing Media, Shiffrin discussed her recovery journey and plans for her comeback.

Marking Her Return.

Shiffrin’s return to racing will be at the Courchevel night slalom, her first since suffering an abdominal injury that derailed her season. The Courchevel race is a significant milestone in her recovery and a step towards the World Championships in Saalbach, Austria.

While Shiffrin is expected to race the slalom on February 15, her participation in the February 14 giant slalom will be determined by how well she recovers in the coming weeks. “The next step is returning to competition,” she told me. “That does not mean I am fully recovered… We’ll need to keep working on healing, specifically scarring and increased tightness, for a while.”

Shifrin’s recovery focused on two goals: wound healing and muscle function restoration. “We started off in the beginning very focused on the wound healing,” she told me. “That was essential for obvious reasons… we also needed to be careful because of the risk of infection with a non-sterile deep puncture wound.” Although surgery was required to prevent an infection, early intervention allowed her to avoid more severe complications.

Rebuilding muscle strength proved to be equally challenging. “I could literally feel a gap between a section of my muscle for the first couple weeks,” Shiffrin told me. Her core was so weak at first that even minor exercise left her unable to stand. However, as she regained muscle connection, she moved steadily through the various rehabilitation phases.

Reaction to Petra Vlhová’s Absence at Worlds

When asked about Petra Vlhová’s decision to miss the World Championships in Saalbach, Shiffrin expressed a range of emotions. Vlhová suffered a season-ending knee injury on January 20, 2024, when she fell during her home giant slalom in Jasná, Slovakia, and has yet to compete again. Their rivalry, widely regarded as one of the most significant in the sport, has defined many seasons.

“Ugh… There is no simple answer to this. I miss her at the races as we all do. I miss having battles with her, but I also enjoy watching her ski,” Shiffrin said. “At the same time, my greatest hope for her is that she returns strong when it’s time. So I’d like to believe that she and her team are taking the necessary time she needs to do that.”

Shiffrin continued, reflecting on the challenges Vlhová has faced. “In the end, I do believe she will come back stronger, but in the meantime, it is very sad to imagine the challenges she has faced with this recovery. She is and has always been relentless in doing the work, and I respect that so much.”

The absence of Vlhová will undoubtedly be felt in Saalbach, leaving a gap in one of the sport’s most celebrated rivalries. However, Shiffrin’s sentiments highlight the mutual respect between two of Alpine skiing’s fiercest competitors.

DISTON Milestones in Recovery
During her recovery, Shiffrin saw even minor accomplishments as significant. One of her first challenges was eating properly while dealing with severe abdominal swelling. “I can’t tell you how full I felt all the time,” she explained. The swelling limited her food intake, despite the fact that she had been advised to eat a high-protein diet to aid muscle recovery. “I literally couldn’t fit enough food in my stomach with the swelling taking up so much space,” she told me. Overcoming this obstacle was a critical step towards regaining her strength.

As her condition improved, other milestones became apparent as equally significant. “When I started to notice less swelling in my stomach, that felt huge,” Shiffrin admitted. Another watershed moment came when I was able to laugh or cough without feeling pain. Physically, achieving side planks and jogging again paved the way for more advanced exercises and demonstrated consistent progress.

Shiffrin compared her recovery pace to clinical research. I’m about two weeks ahead, if not more. Although surgery complicated her recovery, she now realises how far she has come. “Looking back now, it’s so obvious how much improvement there has been,” she said, emphasising her consistent and rewarding progress.

Returning to competition.

Balancing her physical limits with the demands of on-snow training is still a challenge. “The most helpful thing to me psychologically is to get as much repetition in gates as possible,” says Shiffrin. However, her body still requires time to adapt to the intensity of racing. Despite these challenges, she is eager to take this next step in Courchevel.

Current Readiness

Physically, Shiffrin feels strong but acknowledges lingering gaps in endurance and timing. “The technique and timing are coming back with each run I take,” she noted. Mentally, she is focused on embracing the opportunity to race again. “This is kind of a case of not overthinking it but just enjoying being able to step into a race start again,” she told me.

Her appreciation for this opportunity is evident. “Any other athlete with a season-ending injury would choose 100% of the time to be in the position to return same-season,” she told me.

Shiffrin has kept a close eye on the World Cup circuit despite her absence. “We’ve had quite a few new faces on the podium this season,” she said, highlighting her teammate Paula Moltzan’s podium in Kronplatz and Cougs’ (Lauren Macuga’s) performance in St. Anton. Shiffrin also celebrated Atle Lie McGrath’s slalom victory in Wengen, calling his skiing “so strong and powerful and beautiful to watch.”

Shiffrin remains focused on the process rather than the outcome as she prepares for her highly anticipated return. Two months after a significant injury, her journey back to competition is a testament to her resilience and love for the sport. Fans worldwide will watch as she takes her next step under the lights in Courchevel and prepares for her possible appearance at the World Championships.

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