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(Reuters) – Mikaela Shiffrin will likely be again on top of things when the Alpine snowboarding world championships hit the slopes in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Monday.
The American has raced 10 occasions and received twice on the World Cup circuit since November, when she returned after a break of 300 days following the loss of life of her father, however solely within the technical disciplines.
She has not competed in any velocity races since profitable a super-G in Bansko, Bulgaria, in January 2020.
The Italian Dolomite resort — internet hosting the primary main winter sports activities occasion because the begin of the COVID-19 pandemic — will finish that wait.
An Alpine mixed (super-G and slalom leg) begins the motion on Monday earlier than Shiffrin seeks to defend her 2019 particular person super-G title on Tuesday.
The large slalom and slalom are on her schedule the week after — making a primary for the 25-year-old who has beforehand restricted herself to not more than three particular person occasions at an Olympics or worlds.
There will likely be no cheering, cow-bell clanging crowds on the end line, with the two-week championships — involving 71 nations and 600 athletes — with out spectators resulting from COVID-19 restrictions.
Shiffrin can also be the world champion at slalom and will likely be chasing an unprecedented fifth title in succession.
The velocity occasions on the 2026 Winter Olympic co-host venue are the larger problem however even when Shiffrin has mentioned she sees them extra as a coaching alternative, her file speaks for itself.
In 9 races at 4 earlier championships she has received seven medals (5 golds, a silver and a bronze).
“Once you ski at a giant occasion, you go for a medal, you go for gold. That’s the one tactic,” the reigning Olympic big slalom champion instructed reporters. “Whether or not or not I get any medals, that’s nonetheless the identical tactic, the identical mentality.”
Swiss rival Lara Intestine-Behrami could face extra strain as the shape skier in girls’s super-G having received the final 4 races. She has but to win gold at a significant occasion, with three silvers and two bronzes so far.
Italian Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion, would have been the overwhelming favorite within the showcase velocity race however will likely be absent after struggling a knee harm in Germany on the finish of January.
Compatriot and reigning total World Cup champion Federica Brignone is aiming for 4 disciplines, nonetheless, after a low-key season to date whereas Marta Bassino has received 4 big slaloms.
Slovakia’s big slalom world champion Petra Vlhova leads the general World Cup and slalom standings, including to the problem Shiffrin faces within the technical occasions.
On the lads’s aspect, Italy’s super-G champion Dominik Paris received the final World Cup downhill earlier than Cortina however the Austrians and Swiss are wanting sturdy with Matthias Mayer and Beat Feuz respectively.
Norway’s reigning World Cup champion Aleksander Aaamodt Kilde was dominated out by a knee harm final month with France’s Alexis Pinturault main the general standings forward of Cortina.
Mixed world champion Pinturault will likely be fancied in mixed and the technical disciplines with Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen searching for to defend his big slalom title.
The lads’s programme begins with a super-G on Tuesday.
Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, enhancing by Ed Osmond
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