Shiffrin encouraged by Super G comeback despite St. Moritz DNF

Mikaela Shiffrin left St. Moritz with plenty of optimism despite failing to finish her first Super G race in two years, describing the experience as an important milestone in her return to the speed discipline.

The American skiing icon made her long-anticipated Super G comeback at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Switzerland on Sunday, 14 December. It marked her first competitive outing in the discipline since December 2023 in Val d’Isère, as she continues to carefully reintroduce Super G into her programme.

Starting 31st on the Corviglia course—a venue where she has enjoyed past success, including one downhill and two Super G victories—Shiffrin approached the race with clear focus and intent. Although she admitted to feeling intense nerves at the start, the 30-year-old quickly settled into her rhythm once on course.

After a slightly unsettled opening moment out of the gate, Shiffrin found her flow through the upper sections of the run. Early split times showed her only fractions of a second behind New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, who ultimately went on to win the race. As Shiffrin progressed down the piste, her confidence visibly grew, particularly in the more technical lower sections.

The two-time Olympic champion negotiated the demanding Rominger jump with composure and precision, positioning herself for what looked likely to be a top-10 finish. However, disaster struck near the end of her run when she missed the penultimate gate, resulting in a Did Not Finish.

Despite the disappointment of the error, Shiffrin was quick to highlight the positives afterward. Reflecting on her performance in a social media post, she revealed just how intense the emotions had been at the start. She described feeling overwhelming nerves, saying her anxiety was so strong she could feel her heartbeat throughout her body.

Once underway, however, those fears quickly faded. Shiffrin said she thoroughly enjoyed the sensation of skiing Super G again, praising the snow conditions and the feeling of speed. She likened the experience to effortless movement, noting how natural and freeing it felt to be back in the discipline after such a long absence.

The most decorated skier in World Cup history admitted she exceeded her own expectations, saying she felt significantly more comfortable than anticipated. That confidence boost was particularly important given the mental and physical demands of Super G racing.

One moment that stood out for Shiffrin was her successful handling of the course’s biggest challenge—the final jump. She acknowledged that the jump had been on her mind throughout the entire run, describing it as intimidating and difficult. Clearing it cleanly marked a major personal achievement, as it was her first jump of that size in competition in two years. She called it a major victory in itself, even though the effort left her exhausted in the closing moments.

While the missed gate ultimately ended her run early, Shiffrin chose to focus on the progress she made. She expressed pride in the quality of her skiing and emphasized how much more confident she now feels in Super G. Rather than dwelling on the mistake, she framed the race as a significant step forward in her ongoing development, one she does not take lightly.

At the top of the results sheet, Alice Robinson celebrated her first-ever World Cup Super G victory. The win also allowed the New Zealander to close the gap on Shiffrin in the overall standings, with just 64 points now separating the two athletes.

The race was also notable for marking the first World Cup head-to-head between Shiffrin and fellow American star Lindsey Vonn since 2019. Vonn delivered an impressive performance, finishing fourth, capping off a remarkable weekend in which she claimed victory in Friday’s season-opening downhill and followed it up with second place on Saturday.

Shiffrin will now shift her focus back to familiar territory, returning to slalom competition in Courchevel on Tuesday. There, she will aim for a fifth straight slalom victory and her fourth win of the 2025–26 World Cup season, continuing her pursuit of excellence across disciplines.