Mikaela Shiffrin was badly injured after she crashed on Saturday at the Stifel Killington World Cup downhill ski race in Vermont. According to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, the 29-year-old athlete’s injuries were not life-threatening, although her return to snow is “TBD.”
Shiffrin was mere seconds away from her historic 100th World Cup win when she caught an edge on a right-hand turn and lost control of her skis. She crashed into one of the slalom gates and tumbled into the sideline mesh. Shiffrin was immediately taken down the hill on a sled and transferred by ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center.
According to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, Shiffrin has no ligament damage, and her bones and internal organs weren’t hurt. However, she suffered a puncture wound in her abdomen.
“I have a stab wound, basically,” Shiffrin told NBC Sports.
Mikaela Shiffrin Crash: ‘Quite Lucky,’ All Things Considered
The Stifel Killington Cup was Shiffrin’s first opportunity of the season to race on home snow in front of a U.S. crowd. The hype over her approaching triple-digit win had risen to a fever pitch in the week leading up to her race in Vermont. Going into the race, she said she was determined to take the most aggressive line possible.
Shiffrin told NBC Sports she and her team still aren’t sure how she was stabbed or what stabbed her during her fall. Watching the video below, it happens so fast that it’s hard to tell exactly when the injury occurred. Her second run begins at the 2:30 mark.
However, Shiffrin isn’t wallowing. In fact, she seems to be feeling rather fortunate.
“All things considered, [I’m] quite lucky,” she told NBC Sports.
This injury raises questions about whether Shiffrin will race at the Stifel Birds of Prey Cup at Beaver Creek on Dec. 14-15. It will be the first time female racers will compete on the same Birds of Prey racecourse as male skiers. Whether Shiffrin will be ready to compete again in 2 weeks remains unclear.
What is clear, though, is that Shiffrin’s chance to break 100 World Cup wins is still in her hands. No other alpine ski racer in history has ever made it into the triple-digit win club in FIS World Cup downhill ski racing. Shiffrin remains at 99 — for now. While this injury has delayed her breaking 100, it hasn’t mitigated her chances of earning it.
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team said more information would be forthcoming about Shiffrin’s injury and her racing schedule for the remainder of the season.
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