COPPER MOUNTAIN — For the past two seasons, EagleVail’s Mikaela Shiffrin has dominated women’s slalom, winning the World Cup season title twice while claiming gold medals at the 2013 world championships and the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Her career development as a teen phenom has been predicated on painstaking patience: First, master slalom, then giant slalom, then move up to the “speed” discipline of super-G. This season that evolution figures to pick up momentum.
Shiffrin, 19, captured her first giant slalom win last month at the World Cup season opener in Soelden, Austria. That makes her a threat to win both races in Aspen this weekend, giant slalom Saturday and slalom Sunday.
She also is poised to make her first starts in super-G, probably in January, hoping to qualify for the world championships at Beaver Creek in that discipline.
First, though, comes Aspen. In the 24 World Cup races since Aspen became a regular stop for the women in 2000, the U.S. managed only three podiums, all third place: Julia Mancuso (2011) in GS and Kristina Koznick (2000 and 2004) in slalom.
A run at super-G
“Definitely, I see it as an opportunity to get two wins in a row,” Shiffrin said. “Aspen is one of my absolute favorite hills, especially that GS. It is like a roller-coaster ride. It really has all the elements. It has a ton of terrain, one of the most terrain-filled courses on the circuit. I think all of the girls really enjoy racing there.”
In the GS there two years ago she was 18th in the first run but rebounded with the second-fastest time on the second run to finish ninth.
“It was not by any means my best skiing at the time, but it was some of my most aggressive skiing that year,” Shiffrin said. “That was the first time I had even close to a top-five time in any run in GS. I was so, so excited. I was like, ‘Wow, if I put some good skiing out there, and my (start) number is in the mix, I really have a shot at winning some races here.’ That was super motivating. That was the year I got over my nerves of the hill being really challenging and decided to embrace that challenge. I’m definitely excited to go back there this year and see what I can accomplish.”
In slalom, racers are almost constantly turning and top speeds might hit 25 mph. In GS, gates are more open with top speeds of 35-45 mph. Shiffrin has had to learn how to find the proper rhythm in setting up her turns.
“Since the gates are further apart, it gives you more time between gates,” Shiffrin said. “I have found myself in the transition between turns almost twiddling my thumbs, thinking, ‘OK, when do I start the next turn?’ I feel like I could take a nap and have a coffee in between turns, almost, compared to slalom where there’s absolutely no time.”
Super-G is similar to downhill but with more turns, and speeds can exceed 50 mph. Because Shiffrin is such a good technical skier, she could become very good at super-G. When she starts reaching the podium in three events, she can become a threat to win the World Cup overall title, something only four Americans have done — Phil Mahre (1981-83), Tamara McKinney (1983), Bode Miller (2005, 2008) and Lindsey Vonn (2008-10, 2012).
“We kind of devised a plan, a little scheme this summer,” Shiffrin said. “My coach and I decided that if my GS was going in the right direction, hopefully based off how I performed at Soelden, we would try to race some super-G this year — maybe one or two World Cups, see if I can qualify for world championships even. Soelden went about as good as it can go. I’ve gotten in some pretty good super-G training. I’ve gotten some time doing gliding turns and tuck turns, feeling much more comfortable on my skis. So I feel like I can race World Cup super-G and probably be in the mix.”
Win sparks confidence
Shiffrin had nine World Cup slalom wins before capturing her first in GS at Soelden on Oct. 25, tying Anna Fenninger of Austria.
“It feels like it’s been a long time coming to get that first GS win, especially since I got my first slalom win two winters ago,” Shiffrin said. “I’m really ecstatic to have that under my belt, especially first race of the season. That World Cup opener couldn’t really have gone any better. It’s given me some really positive hope for the rest of the season. Now all I have to do is execute and keep working hard. It’s a huge confidence booster.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616, jmeyer@denverpost.com or
Mikaela Shiffrin in Aspen World Cups
2011: Did not qualify for second run in giant slalom; finished eighth in slalom.
2012: Ninth in giant slalom; seventh in slalom.
Note: Last season the women raced at Beaver Creek instead of Aspen to preview the courses for the 2015 world championships. Shiffrin captured her first giant slalom podium, finishing second.
Shiffrin World Cup podium finishes
Slalom: 13 with nine wins
GS: Three with one win
Aspen Women’s World Cup races
Saturday: Giant slalom, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Sunday: Slalom, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
