Mikaela Shiffrin focusing on slalom and giant slalom return in recovery from crash - 'Are likely to be the target'

ByJames Hilsum

Updated 15/02/2024 at 09:40 GMT

Mikaela Shiffrin's team have provided an email update about her recovery from her crash at Cortina-d'Ampezzo on January 26. The American is making good progress following the worrying incident in Italy, but says she is "improving every day", with the focus being on a return in Are, Sweden, taking place across the weekend of March 9 and 10. She will not race at Crans Montana, Swtizerland.

Mikaela Shiffrin will prioritise a return in the giant slalom and slalom disciplines after her crash at Cortina-d'Ampezzo last month.

The American's team sent an email update regarding her progress on Wednesday evening, as the 28-year-old continues her recovery from knee and ankle injuries.

“We are working on a 4-6 week timeline from the crash, given what the injuries are: MCL sprain, Tib-Fib ligament sprain at both the knee and the ankle, and bone bruising,” read the email.

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Shiffrin will miss the two downhills and a super-G taking place in Crans Montana, Switzerland, while speed races will also be the focus in Val di Fassa, Italy, and Kvitfjell, Norway in the next two weeks.

The giant slalom and slalom races in Are, Sweden will be Shiffrin's primary target for a return, but has not ruled out an earlier return.

“I’m not racing in Crans Montana, obviously, but that was never in my plan for this season,” she explained.

“We knew Are was *likely* going to be the target, but didn’t rule out a shorter timeline in case my symptoms and load tolerance improved quicker.

“We needed to see how my knee would respond to some recovery and a load progression into ski specific stimulus.

“It’s been very much a “day by day” approach and our progression has been dictated by objective criteria.”

Shiffrin has won seven World Cup races this season and a record total of 95 throughout her career – surpassing Ingemar Stenmark’s previous total of 86.

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She now hopes to be back on the slopes in the next week, and will begin to incorporate skiing as part of her rehab.

“I am improving every day. Strength wise I feel good overall. Most of our attention right now is working on restoring quickness and my tolerance to power/agility/unpredictable and rotational forces—which is basically everything required to be a ski racer. (i.e. it is not an option for me to return to World Cup ski racing on one leg)

“We are planning to introduce skiing into my rehab program over the next week and we will be assessing my response daily.

“One of the most important elements to returning to on-snow training and racing safely, is ensuring I have symmetrical power and quickness, which is simply not there yet.”

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Shiffrin's injuries mean Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami has now taken a five-point lead in he overall World Cup standings.

The 32-year-old has performed well across the downhill, super-G and giant slalom disciplines, meaning she could extend that lead further during Shiffrin's anticipated absence.

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