EagleVail’s Mikaela Shiffrin, shown here en route to a World Cup slalom victory at Aspen in November, injured a knee two weeks later in Sweden. (Getty)
Mikaela Shiffrin’s recovery from injuries to her right knee felt good enough in recent weeks that she began to entertain hopes of returning to competition at the end of this month, but a visit to her doctor has quashed that idea.
The Olympic and three-time world champion was in Are, Sweden. Her first MRI suggested a bone bruise, but a recent one that was more clear revealed a hairline fracture that is healing well. She also suffered a partially torn medial collateral ligament. After the second MRI, Dr. Bill Sterett advised her to err on the side of caution and give the injury seven weeks to heal. Shiffrin had been hoping to race Jan. 30-31 in Maribor, Slovenia.
“Her rehab was really great and she had no pain and it looked like Maribor could be an option,” said Shiffrin’s agent, Kilian Albrecht. “After another MRI and consultation with Dr. Sterett, they decided in order to be on the safe side she needs at least six weeks or seven before even thinking about going back on skis. I think it is realistic that she can come back end of February, beginning of March. We’ll see more how it goes when she will get back on skis (in training).”
There are two slalom/giant slalom weekends scheduled on the World Cup in March, the final month of the season. Shiffrin won the first two slaloms of the season and finished second in the first giant slalom of the season.
