Two-time Olympic slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin is shifting her focus this season from slalom to training for giant slalom and super-G events. The Colorado ski racer announced her strategy as part of a season of exploration following her recent successes at the Milan Cortina Games, where she secured her second Olympic gold in slalom and her ninth World Cup season title in the discipline.
The upcoming season commences on October 24 with a giant slalom race in Soelden, Austria. Shiffrin revealed that her first slalom race is set for Killington, Vt., during the Thanksgiving weekend, with further plans to follow.
Shiffrin, aged 31, expressed her motivation behind the shift, emphasizing that her goal is not to reduce effort but to explore new challenges while maintaining her competitive spirit. She secured her sixth overall World Cup title, beating Emma Aicher of Germany by 87 points, and also clinched the crystal globe in slalom by outperforming Camille Rast of Switzerland.
Reflecting on her performance in giant slalom, Shiffrin finished fourth in the standings, while she ranked outside the top 30 in the super-G discipline. Despite not achieving top rankings in super-G, Shiffrin, known for her speed and precision, remains ambitious and committed to performing at her best.
Additionally, Shiffrin intends to continue her work on her podcast, “What’s the Point with Mikaela Shiffrin,” alongside her training and competition schedule.
