As if Mikaela Shiffrin had not presently engraved her identify within the report of World Cup towering snowboarding, the American begins the brand-new interval taking a look at but yet one more spots, aiming to finish up being the very first particular person to chalk up 100 success on the circuit.
The 29-year-old shut an injury-hit 2024 on 97 World Cup wins, having presently went past the earlier complete doc of 86 held by Swedish terrific Ingemar Stenmark.
“It’s like I’m not finished with what I want to give and want to get from the sport,” Shiffrin said in a gathering with Eurosport just lately.
“If I’m in good shape, and if it does happen, I do see it as a really big opportunity to bolster all the stories that are happening in ski racing right now. There’s so much to be excited about, and so many stories in the sport, even beyond my own.”
Another story of the inclines, Marcel Hirscherwill mark his return to the snow, 5 years after his retired life.
The Austrian retired in 2019 with 67 World Cup wins, having really asserted Olympic gold in slalom and included on the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games, and with 7 globe titles to his identify.
His assortment of 8 successive complete World Cup crystal worlds from 2012 to 2019 stays a doc. He stands 4th in occupation victories after Shiffrin, Stenmark and Lindsey Vonn.
– Hirscher in orange –
Hirscher, nonetheless, will definitely not be again at a loss and white of his indigenous Austria.
He will definitely reasonably put on the orange of the Netherlands, the beginning nation of his mommy, for one interval.
“This weekend will be marked by a historic event, as Marcel Hirscher will make his debut under the Dutch flag,” the Netherlands ski federation said in a declaration on Tuesday.
“We wish Marcel the best of luck!”
His bitter-sweet transfer was met with disappointment from Austria, however welcomed within the Netherlands, a flatland nation higher identified for its ice-skating than snowboarding prowess.
” I assumed it’s gratifying to be within the race as soon as extra and it was rather a lot happiness,” he instructed AFP this summer season.
“Then I believed to myself fine, why not ski one year for the Netherlands?”
Since his retirement, Hirscher, who has rock star standing in ski-crazy Austria however revels within the ” tranquility” of the Netherlands, arrange his personal ski firm, Van Deer, supported by long-time sponsor Red Bull.
While he educated throughout the summer season in New Zealand, he returned dwelling sooner than anticipated.
“Aiming for a location in the leading 15 would not presently be practical,” Hirscher instructed Austrian tv earlier this month.
Hirscher then shall be extremely unlikely to hassle Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, the runaway winner of final season’s general title.
Lara Gut-Behrami claimed the ladies’s globe in what was a double Swiss enjoyment of Saalbach, the Austrian resort that may host the 2025 world championships in February.
Shiffrin’s primary rival within the technical occasions, Petra Vlhova, shall be lacking from Soelden, the Slovak admitting she doesn’t know when she’ll be again on the pistes after knee surgical procedure.
” I want to return at full toughness,” Vlhova mentioned.
“It’s been a tough journey, nevertheless my knee stays in nice downside presently. I wouldn’t have discomfort or constraints, nevertheless I require to essentially really feel 100% on the skis. I can’t full merely to finish up, I require to reclaim my toughness fully.
“I’m determined to return to my top form, even though I don’t know how long it will take.”
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