SESTRIERE, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin’s cautious return to competitive skiing continued on Saturday as she failed to qualify for the second run of the giant slalom, marking her first such absence since 2012. Finishing outside the top 30, Shiffrin ended the race 2.50 seconds behind leader Alice Robinson, who was among over 30 racers who advanced to the afternoon’s second run.
The American skier, whose recent performances have been overshadowed by her injury from a crash in Killington, Vermont, struggled throughout the race. Just the day prior, she had finished in 25th place in her first giant slalom since sustaining severe trauma to her oblique muscles and a deep puncture wound. This was particularly significant as she was aiming for her 100th career win when the accident occurred.
During the race on Saturday, Shiffrin’s expressions revealed her awareness of the challenge as she raced cautiously. She couldn’t help but notice that the previous 14 competitors had all posted times over a second faster than her own, and many were within 1.05 seconds of the lead.
Shiffrin’s last appearance outside the top 30 in a giant slalom run dates back to October 2012 during the season-opening race in Soelden, Austria. Back then, she was just a 17-year-old skier wearing bib No. 41 and achieved the 31st fastest time. Her bib number of 15 on Saturday represents a significant change, as it has been over eight years since she wore a number that high in a World Cup giant slalom. Interestingly, she won a race in December 2016 with that same bib number at Semmering, Austria.
As for the competition, Robinson, who recently earned a silver medal in the world championships, displayed remarkable speed in the lower section of the course, finishing just 0.06 seconds ahead of Lara Gut-Behrami, the reigning overall World Cup champion. In an unexpected twist, Britt Richardson from Canada, the junior world champion for giants slalom in 2024, clinched third place, finishing a mere 0.07 seconds behind Robinson and pushing world champion Federica Brignone down to fourth place. Brignone had won the prior day’s race, with Robinson in a close second, which helped her extend her lead over Gut-Behrami in the overall standings. Robinson currently holds the top position in the season-long giant slalom standings.
