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Mikaela Shiffrin suffered an injury over the weekend with a puncture wound to her abdomen and severe muscle trauma following a crash during Saturday’s giant slalom at the Stifel Killington Cup in Vermont. The 29-year-old was leading after her first run and chasing history in the form of her 100th World Cup victory when she caught an edge near the finish line, sending her tumbling into the safety netting.
On Saturday, Shiffrin described her condition, saying, “I just can't move,” and noted, according to ESPN News Services, that she felt “something stabbed me.” She was taken down the slope by sled before being transported by ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center for further evaluation. She remained down for several minutes after the crash.
In a statement, U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed that initial assessments showed no ligament damage and that bones and internal organs were unaffected. However, doctors identified a puncture wound on the right side of Shiffrin's abdomen and significant muscle trauma.
“Following her crash in yesterday's giant slalom at the Stifel Killington Cup, Mikaela was taken down by sled and transferred by ambulance to be evaluated at Rutland Regional Medical Center,” U.S. Ski & Snowboard said. “There was no ligament damage assessed. Bones and internal organs look OK. There is a puncture wound into the right side of her abdomen and severe muscle trauma.”
Shiffrin’s recovery timeline remains uncertain, and no return date has been set. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time World Cup overall champion was a favorite at Killington, where she has won the slalom in six of the seven years the event has been held.
The crash came during what had been an exceptional weekend for Shiffrin, who had set the fastest time in her first run of the event. Shiffrin had a similar crash earlier this year during a World Cup downhill run in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Her pursuit of a historic 100th World Cup victory now faces an indefinite delay as she focuses on her recovery.
