Overload slows record hunt
Ski star Shiffrin throws up and pauses
01/12/2023 2:07 p.m
While the ski elite is firmly convinced that Mikaela Shiffrin will soon break the magical sound barrier in alpine sports, the US superstar is taking a break. The record hunter is sitting out the upcoming World Cup in St. Anton – due to overexertion.
Tuesday evening could have been historic for alpine skiing: At the night slalom in Flachau, US superstar Mikaela Shiffrin danced past her 83rd World Cup victory by 0.43 seconds. With this, the 27-year-old would have been crowned the most successful skier in history. But her big rival Petra Vlhova had something against it that evening and celebrated her first success of the season in the pole forest. And so skiing has to wait a little longer for its new, sole regent. Shiffrin shares the win record for a few more days with retired Lindsey Vonn, who was once her babysitter.
In fact, it’s not a question of if, but when Shiffrin will overtake her compatriot. There is no serious answer to that. One thing is clear: the coronation will not take place at the weekend when the speed competitions in St. Anton are due. Shiffrin is taking a break after the intense weeks this winter, which she is dominating so impressively. The American is at the limit. “After all the victories, Mikaela has had so much pressure on her shoulders. After each competition she also does all the interviews, late in the evening there is the awards ceremony after the race. With the tough schedule she had, it takes little to get sick,” said a spokesman for the US association to “SVT”: “It’s going to be too much.”
Shiffrin had previously raced to victory five times in seven races within 15 days. After the slalom in Flachau, it became clear how much this stressful time had affected her. As reported by Sport1, the American had to throw up in the target area. Now, that’s not entirely unusual for her. This used to happen to her regularly. “I’m not feeling very well, but that’s not surprising at the end of a long series of races,” Shiffrin later said in an interview with Austrian TV broadcaster ORF.
“I think 100 wins is not impossible”
A break is therefore not only physically necessary, but also sporty. With a lead of 399 points, she is ahead of Vlhova in first place in the overall World Cup standings. Shiffrin is therefore unlikely to attack again until January 20th, when the next races are scheduled for the Olympic venue of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Then Vonn has to tremble again, although she has no illusions about her record anyway. “I think she can win much, much more,” said the 2010 Olympic champion to “ORF”. “I think 100 wins is not impossible. She just needs to stay healthy and always stay motivated – but that’s not a problem for Mikaela I think.” That’s how the German Olympic champion Maria Höfl-Riesch and the Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark see it. The now 66-year-old is still the most successful alpinist with 86 World Cup victories – but this mark will also fall. The only question is when.