By Polly Mikula
For the eighth time the women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup came to Killington Resort over Thanksgiving weekend. The first day of racing, a Giant Slalom on Saturday, was marked by a combination of jubilation and heartbreak as U.S. Ski team members Nina O’Brien and Paula Moltzan posted their best World Cup Giant Slalom finishes while Mikaela Shiffrin, on track for her record-extending 100th World Cup victory, suffered a dramatic crash near the finish that took her out of contention for the rest of the weekend’s events.
Before the crash, the raucous crowd of 21,500 fans were all on their feet cheering loudly, ringing bells and jumping up and down as Shiffrin (who had posted a sizable lead after her first run and was the final skier down the course Saturday) began with gusto. When she crested the final pitch and came into view, the crowd at the finish grew even louder, cheering what looked like it certainly would be her 100th World Cup win. She was within seconds of that victory when all hopes were dashed — thrills turning to chills of concern — as she careened off course busting through two gates and sliding into the netting in spectacular fashion. The crowd was immediately silent and eerily still as they waited for any reassuring sign that Shiffrin was ok.
The site of the crash was too far up the hill for anyone at the base area to make out what was happening. Shiffrin was eventually put on a ski patrol sled and taken by ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center where she was evaluated.
“She asked for the sled because she ‘was in shock, entirely unable to move, and worried about internal organ trauma’,” Courtney Harkins, from the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team posted to the media group chat. “There was no ligament damage that they have assessed — bones and internal organs look ok — There is a puncture wound into the right side of her abdomen and severe muscle trauma. She did not get stitches. They can’t stitch the puncture wound because it’s too deep and there’s a risk of infection. She is pretty sore,” Harkins wrote.
Shiffrin posted a video on Instagram Saturday evening from the hospital reassuring her fans that she’d be ok and congratulating her teammates. “Not really too much cause for concern at this point… I just can’t move, I have a pretty good abrasion on my hip,” Shiffrin said. “Something stabbed me but all scans so far have come back clear. I’m so sorry to scare everybody… thank you for your support and concern and congrats to the winners and my teammates for their incredible performances,” Shiffrin said, adding that she’s still not sure what exactly it was that punctured her.
In a subsequent video, Shiffrin described the injury more bluntly: “I have a stab wound, basically… I was impaled.”
When asked when her estimated return to skiing may be, Shiffrin said it’d be multiple weeks and it was unlikely she’d race Beaver Creek, Dec. 14-15. A pair of earlier Giant Slalom races schedule for Tremblant, Canada, Dec. 7-8 were canceled due to lack of snow.
With Shiffrin out, Sara Hector of Sweden claimed the Giant Slalom win, while Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia took second and Camille Rast of Switzerland, third.
At the Slalom on Sunday, Camille Rast of Switzerland took her first career World Cup win, with Anna Swenn Larsen of Sweden in second and Wendy Holdener of Switzerland in third.
“It’s always a thrill to host the best female Alpine skiers at The Beast,” said Killington President and CEO Mike Solimano. “It takes a huge effort from the whole team and volunteers to pull off this event and I would just like to say thank you to everyone, especially the fans, for making this one to remember.”
Paula Moltzan was the only member of the U.S. Ski Team to make it to the second run in the Slalom event. However, she crashed in her second run and did not finish.
Harkin shared, Monday Dec. 2, that Moltzan had “dislocated her left shoulder but was able to reset it immediately. She sustained no fractures, and the shoulder is currently stable and will not need to undergo an operation. Right now she’s sore but looking forward to returning to competition iafter a couple of weeks of rehab.”
But the injurty didn’t change Moltzan’s positivity for the Killington Cup. “This race specifically is my favorite race on tour for a number of reasons,” said Moltzan. “A: It’s in Vermont, B: My family can be here and C: the crowd for sure. Every athlete receives a huge welcome home in the finish line and you don’t always see that at World Cups. This is my favorite race on the tour for sure. I think we all hope it stays in Killington forever.”
The record-breaking crowds totaling 39,000 over the weekend began arriving on Friday with 7,500 attending the athlete bib presentation and fireworks display. Saturday, 21,500 folks filled the grandstands, vendor village and Great Gulf LiveKillington.com VIP tent to see if Shiffrin would hold onto her first run lead in the Giant Slalom and crack her 100 World Cup win record a day earlier than anticipated. Sunday, despite Shiffrin’s absence, 10,000 fans came to watch the 66 fastest female Alpine ski racers from 19 different countries descended Superstar. The Stifel Killington Cup was broadcast in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Live performances by Fitz and the Tantrums, Matt Quinn of Mt. Joy, Eve 6 and DJ Ross One punctuated the weekend.
By Jerry LeBlond Left: View of the Giant Slalom finish just below where Shiffrin crashed. Right: the Swiss team celebrates with Wendy Holdener (left) and Camille Rast (right) lifted with trophies.
By Jerry LeBlond Top: The Giant Slalom podium: Sara Hector in first, Zrinka Ljutic in second and Camille Rast, third. Bottom: The Slalom podium: Camille Rast in first, Anna Swenn Larsen in second and Wendy Holdener in third.
