Shiffrin says she hopes to return to racing action in Levi next month

Mikaela Shiffrin of Edwards recently told the Olympic Channel she is working to race again this season, as early as next month and hopefully in time for a World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland, Nov. 21-22.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist missed the season opener in Soelden, Austria, earlier this month due to a back injury, but has been home in Colorado doing physical therapy and rehabbing.

While it was widely reported Shiffrin had been training in Europe and returned to the States after her injury, the Olympic Channel is reporting she actually never made the trip for the Oct. 17 giant slalom opener in Soelden.

Here’s an excerpt from that article:

However, a back injury meant she was not able to travel, instead staying in Colorado to work on her rehabilitation – Shiffrin last spent time training in start gates in a July camp with the U.S. national team. She’s aiming to return to the World Cup circuit in Levi, Finland.on 21/22 November.

“It’s hopefully a short thing; it’s healing. I’m doing rehab and PT and should be back skiing, racing in November. That’s my goal.

“I should know before Levi, pretty solidly, because I need to get some training in before we race. I’m kind of working with minimal preparation, but back home here in Colorado it’s getting a little chilly so we should be able to get on the mountains, get on some snow.

“I’ll be able to hopefully test it out, and if I feel pain then I guess I’ll need a little longer, but I don’t think I’m going to feel pain. It’s going to work.”

In fact, her home mountains of Beaver Creek and Vail each received a dose of close to a foot of new snow on Sunday and Monday, with snowmaking ongoing at most nearby race training facilities.

Shiffrin has not raced since late January, when she won a downhill and a super-G in Bansko, Bulgaria, for her 65th and 66th career World Cup victories.

Soon after, her father, Jeff Shiffrin, died after an accident at their Edwards home, the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short and Shiffrin missed collecting what would have been an American record fourth straight overall World Cup title.

Shiffrin told the Olympic Channel she’s motivated to come back because, “I don’t want to end on this note.”