Shiffrin shares thoughts prior to opening World Cup

Mikaela Shiffrin, Sölden 2021. Photo: GEPA pictures

Mikaela Shiffrin is a dedicated professional who loves the challenge of pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. She confirmed that her passion for competing at the highest level of the sport motivates her to improve continually. Although she would love to end her career with a World Cup win record, that’s not why she continues to pursue higher performance or why she would end her career.  

The first races of the season bring extra nerves

Shiffrin admits that Sölden and Levi are very important to her and always present a hint of threat. Shiffrin says, “I get a bit nervous for the first race – always for Sölden and Levi. There are pre-race nerves and jitters for every single race, but the first races of the season in each event are a bit extra. Part of that is because you really don’t know where you stand.”

Shiffrin explains, “It’s just always based on the preparation you get leading up to the race. For me, that’s an important piece of establishing that first layer of confidence before the first race. Shiffrin later explains, “I’ve had quite a good track record of successful races and being able to start the season by putting one strong foot forward. I hope to do that on Saturday.” With obvious respect for her competition, she also lets the audience know, “I’ve skied against quite a few of the World Cup women in training and, to be honest, there is a handful of women who have the potential to win this race and were beating me.” Then with good reasons to be confident, Shiffrin says, “I think I have good potential and I’m just going to go off of that and push as hard as I can and see where we end up.”

Shiffrin is excited to see live crowds return to the sport

While Shiffrin believes the reality of viruses including COVID, requires reasonable mitigation measures to continue, she is excited to have the fans back at the races. She mentions explicitly that there is no longer a testing requirement for the World Cup personnel as one of the most significant changes. However, she explains her enthusiasm for the return of live fans, comparing the atmosphere to a big-time American football crowd. She clearly cherishes fans’ engagement and thinks nothing compares to being at a race in person.

Killington is a special place for Shiffrin

When asked about Killington’s conditions, Shiffrin praised the professionalism and excellent work of the course crew. Even though the weather dictates the surface, she admits that Killington is a fantastic race for her. With a unique passion in her voice, she confesses, “Killington is a magical race because of the atmosphere we get, the crowd and the whole vibe around it – the home vibe feeling. It’s absolutely one of my favorite events of the season.”

Also included in the interview were confirmations of what you would expect from the most successful active racer in the world. No surprises, but interesting. She has spent the prep period adapting to address her weaknesses for as long as anyone can remember. She confirmed she worked on equipment modifications to give her more speed and confidence in softer snow and adapted her fitness to address the issues she has had with her back.

In the end, it is always fascinating to hear the thoughts of someone at the top of the game.  Ski Racing Media thanks Shiffrin for the opportunity to listen in.