World Cup notebook: Mikaela Shiffrin’s need for speed remains after record-setting 2022-2023 campaign

After securing GOAT status with career World Cup wins No. 87 and 88, Mikaela Shiffrin doesn’t feel like there are any more objective carrots to go after.

“There’s actually nothing left on my to-do list, to be perfectly frank. I don’t know if I really had a to-do list to begin with but if I did, we’re good now,” the 28-year-old told Reuters on Tuesday.

The need for speed, however, remains.

“But I still somehow feel like I want to keep skiing. I want to see how far I can go in the sport. How much faster can I ski? I feel like still I’m getting faster.”

The five-time overall Crystal Globe winner begins her 13th full World Cup season (her debut was in March of 2011) in Soelden, Austria on Saturday with a giant slalom. She told Rory Carroll that she plans to fill this non-global championship year with more downhill and super-G events.

Support Local Journalism

Donate

“It’s an opportunity for me to explore doing a few more speed races. I won’t do it if I feel like I’m not prepared but if my preparation feels good, then it would be kind of exciting to try,” she said.

“I feel like a lot of athletes actually get injured in these ‘off years’ because they take their foot off the gas. One of my big goals for this year is to not be complacent.”

When asked about the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026, Shiffrin said she was pleased to see the Games return to a “more typical” Alpine skiing venue.

“The past couple of Olympics I’ve felt like we’ve been in locations that had to scramble to find a way to do it,” the two-time gold medalist said, adding that despite leaving Beijing without a medal, she rated her 2022 Olympics a “10 out of 10” because of the life lessons she learned. She also told Carroll that she’d be OK not winning another gold medal.

“I guess that speaks to where I am in my career. I’m lucky to be able to say that because for a lot of athletes that’s the final step in their careers,” she continued. “I mean, look at (Novak) Djokovic. That’s the only thing he hasn’t gotten yet. And it’s like, gosh, I feel lucky to be one of the athletes that can say it’s okay. Basically I have enough gold. But the hunger is there, that’s for sure.”

DePriest competes at World Cup big air event in Chur

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Brooklyn DePriest placed 46th at the World Cup big air event in Chur, Switzerland on Oct. 21. Japan swept the podium at the World Cup freestyle skiing and snowboarding opener, with Hiroto Ogiwara, Kira Kimura and Takeru Otsuka taking the top-3 spots respectively.

It was the third-career World Cup start for DePriest, 17, a U.S. Ski and Snowboard rookie team member. The defending slopestyle national champion said earlier this month that his goals are to compete at the Mammoth Grand Prix World Cup Feb. 2-3 and make the 2024 Youth Olympics squad.

FIS council holds fall meetings