Mikaela Shiffrin with her Nana after winning the slalom Sunday. Photos by Dave Young for Killington Resort.
by Courtney Harkins US Ski and Snowboard Association In front of a huge hometown crowd and her entire family, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) shone under pressure to win the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom at Vermont’s Killington Mountain. Shiffrin’s win capped off a successful weekend in the east coast that will impact ski racing for decades to come. Shiffrin is the reigning Olympic slalom champion who skied at the Burke Mountain Academy. More than 30,000 fans took in a weekend of world class skiing.
Coming in as the odds-on favorite, Shiffrin had a couple of small bobbles in her second run, but put aside all the pre-race pressure to extend her first-run lead and win by .73 seconds ahead of Veronika Velez Zuzulova of Slovakia to take her 21st World Cup win. Wendy Holdener of Switzerland was third.
“It’s been incredible,” said Shiffrin. “I knew it was going to be a big one, and special, and I was so excited. It’s the east coast, I know this place, I know these people love to watch ski racing. I’m so proud that they all came out and really cheered that loud!”
But Shiffrin admitted that she was nervous and feeling down prior to the race.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself,” she said. “I went through a moment where I was thinking maybe I shouldn’t do this. I was so worked up and nervous and worried about the wrong things.”
However, Shiffrin’s day ended on a high note on Killington’s Superstar Trail, as she came through the finish and uncharacteristically celebrated when she saw the number 1 next to her name. Her whole family was there to watch, while she was particularly excited about skiing in front of her grandmother for the first time ever.
“The fact that my nana was able to watch this race is amazing,” said Shiffrin. “I can’t put that into words. The proudest I’ve ever been is winning this race in front of my nana.”
Sunday’s crowd was equal to Saturday’s 16,000 fans, bringing the total to more than 30,000 fans in total to attend the Killington World Cup—the first World Cup in the east coast in 25 years. Every kid was smiling, as they waved flags and asked for autographs from their favorite skiers.
“It was incredible,” said Shiffrin. “Today you could peak over the break in the hill and see everybody. I could hear them chanting USA before my run. In these kinds of races, the crowd totally carries me down the hill.”
“The record setting crowd, smooth race coordination and inspirational athletic performances throughout our first World Cup Weekend have the entire town of Killington gushing with pride,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain.
“It was thrilling to watch Mikaela Shiffrin dominate Sunday’s slalom – the energy of the crowd when she crossed the finish line during her second run, securing the win, was unlike anything I’ve witnessed at Killington or any other ski area,” says Solimano. “And then she went and signed over 600 autographs at Killington Sports, staying until every single person who lined up to meet her had the chance!”
“Mikaela’s focus, poise, humility and friendliness represent the very best of New England and our skiing community, and while she undoubtedly inspired the next generation of ski racers, she also inspired the entire Killington team, myself included,” says Solimano.
“I’m just so proud of the energy, teamwork and positivity that our staff and the entire community displayed. We won’t know for quite some time whether or not the World Cup will return to Killington, but we would absolutely welcome it back – I think our snowmakers, mountain operations, marketing and hospitality teams proved that they’re up for any challenge,” says Solimano. “When you add up the record-breaking attendance at both days’ races and a healthy crowd of skiers and snowboarders on our open terrain, we had over 30,000 enjoying snow sports at Killington. That’s pretty impressive.”
It was the first World Cup in the eastern US since 1991, when the USA’s Julie Parisien won the giant slalom at Waterville Valley, NH. Vermont last hosted a World Cup event at Stratton in 1978.
US Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Tiger Shaw was also present at the race.
“This event at Killington will have a lasting impact on this sport for a decade or more to come,” said Shaw. “The excitement and the motivation that this will generate for kids in New England in insurmountable and will help grow the profile of alpine skiing in the country.”
Shaw himself is a Vermonter from Morrisville who skied in the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics.
Next up, the women head to Lake Louise for a speed series December 2-4.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Mikaela Shiffrin won the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom at Killington Mountain by .73 seconds.
- Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) finished 17th. Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV), Megan McJames (Park City, UT) did not qualify for a second run. Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO) and Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY)—who were racing their first slalom World Cup—did not finish first run.
- More than 30,000 people attended both races at Killington Mountain.
- Next, the women’s team heads to Lake Louise, Canada for a speed series Dec. 2-4.
QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
"It’s been incredible. Racing in front of the east coast has been an emotional high for me. Then there’s been the pressure side of things—I put a lot of pressure on myself. I’ve been performing so well in slalom and I knew I had a great chance of winning the slalom here, coming into today. I woke up this morning, though, and I had a bad feeling about today. I went through a moment where I was thinking maybe I shouldn’t do this. I was so worked up and nervous and worried about the wrong thing. It wasn’t very enjoyable until the second run—the fight I put into the course and staying in the course even after making some bobbles here and there. I hope I looked like I wanted to ski fast because that was what my goal was. I’m still looking to put my best training skiing into a race.
"I think that role of being an inspiration for younger girls is growing. As more people tell me that I inspire them, I start to inspire myself more as well. I’m not the most confident person—I tend to have a lot of self-doubt, but I’m generally a really happy person. Sometimes these races get to me. I feel like I have to be something special or different or get someone else’s approval—the crowd, the media. Today, I tried to make the choice that I don’t need approval. That’s the message to these young girls that’s more important than my skiing. I ski for myself, not for anybody else.
"I work my tail off. Everybody does. All these girls are trying to beat me. But I’m not even close to my best skiing. I’m doing my thing and I’m a happy person. It’s great to be back here and get a breath of that freshness.
"A lot of my family was watching at World Champs at Vail/Beaver Creek, but my nana didn’t come to those. My entire family lives in the east coast. We had a big group of people here. I got to see them for Thanksgiving, which was incredible. They all say they had a good time—to be honest the fact that my nana was able to watch this race is amazing. I can’t put that into words. The proudest I’ve ever been is winning a race in front of my nana. The best part about it is that she doesn’t care whether I win or lose. She might not even remember! She doesn’t care—she loves me. Thanks nana for your unconditional love and your incredible pies.
"It was incredible. I heard there were 16,000 people up there yesterday. Especially in slalom, you can see the crowd from the start. Today you could peek over the break in the hill and see everybody. I could hear them in the start chanting "USA!" before my run. I love that. In these kinds of races, the crowd totally carries me down the hill.
"I knew it was going to be a big crowd. The tickets sold out in 24 hours back in the springtime. So people were so excited to watch us race. I knew it was going to be a big one, and special, and I was so excited. It’s the east coast, I know this place, I know these people love to watch ski racing. I’m so proud that they all came out and really cheered that loud!"
Video courtesy USSA
About the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association/U.S. Ski Team
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding in America, and responsible for scheduling of World Cup competitions with the International Ski Federation. The U.S. Ski Team, as part of the USSA, develops and maintains teams of world-class athletes for national and international competition, including the Olympic Winter Games. For more information, visit www.usskiteam.com.
About Killington
Killington Resort is a four season destination sitting on 3,000 acres in the heart of Central Vermont’s Green Mountain. The Resort boasts 92 miles of diverse snow sports terrain spread out over six peaks including Pico Mountain served by the most expansive lift network and snowmaking system in the East. After the snow melts, Killington features an 18-hole championship golf course as well as 35 miles of mountain biking trails and 15 miles of hiking trails. The seemingly infinite après, dining, and lodging options have made Killington a world-class destination for East Coast skiers and riders for 55 years. Visit www.killington.com for more information and join the conversation on social media with #beastwinter.
Source: KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 27, 2016) – USSA