After devastating crash in Cortina d'Ampezzo in January, Mikaela Shiffrin reveals major change of plans for upcoming season

As Mikaela Shiffrin returns to the slopes for her 15th FIS Alpine Skiing season, she has shared a major change of plans about her participation in races next year. The American said she will no longer be racing the downhill, vastly considered one of the most dangerous disciplines of the sport.

Shiffrin is widely regarded as an expert all-event skier and is the only person, male or female, to have won a race in all six FIS Alpine Ski disciplines. However, while racing the downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy (January 2024), the 29-year-old suffered one of the worst crashes of her career, forcing her into rehab for six weeks.

Mikaela Shiffrin recently revealed that she won't be racing the downhill event this season.

“No downhill, not this season. I would love to bring it back, but we’ll see how it goes," she told AP.

Explaining her decision, she added:

“Last season, I felt that my super-G level was not very good. So, all season long we were trying to find a time to train super-G, GS and slalom. And then I didn’t train downhill before Cortina, and then I wasn’t really prepared to do the downhill in Cortina – well, I was prepared, but in a way there was somehow some level missing.”

Mikaela Shiffrin on her approach to a 100 World Cup wins

Mikaela Shiffrin at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals (Image Source: Getty)

Mikaela Shiffrin equaled the legendary Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86 World Cup wins on March 10, 2023. A day later, she claimed her 87th win, successfully rewriting the history books. As of now, the American has won 97 World Cup races. Her 100th victory is likely to materialize In the upcoming season, which will make her the first skier in history to touch the mark.

Shiffrin, who has long maintained that she isn't overly concerned about numbers, has said 100 wins will be a monumental moment for skiing.

“To be honest, with 86, I really wanted to downplay it, I didn’t want the world to think that I cared ... I almost downplayed it so much that I think people didn’t want to talk about it. I don’t personally care about winning 100, but I do think it’s a monumental moment in the sport,” she told AP.

Mikaela Shiffrin's journey to 100 wins will begin later this month at the season opener in Soelden, Austria, on October 26.