American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin has revealed that her greatest concern is the possibility of losing her motivation to compete. The three-time Olympic champion is preparing to reduce her slalom appearances this season as she shifts more attention towards giant slalom and super-G.
Shiffrin, who secured her sixth overall World Cup Crystal Globe last season, has decided to miss the opening slalom events in Levi and Gurgl before returning to the discipline at Killington.
Speaking during Atomic Media Day in Altenmarkt, Austria, ahead of the new Alpine skiing season, the 31-year-old explained that her decision was driven by curiosity and a desire to discover how much more she could achieve in other disciplines.
Shiffrin described the change as an opportunity to look beyond her established strengths and explore new possibilities.
“It’s about motivation, it’s about curiosity,” she explained, adding that she wanted to discover how much she could improve in giant slalom and whether she could return to a competitive level in super-G.
The American acknowledged that her revised schedule could make it more difficult to challenge for another overall World Cup title. Last season, she finished 87 points ahead of Germany’s Emma Aicher in the standings.
Shiffrin accepted that reducing her slalom commitments would lower her chances of defending the overall title but insisted that the standings would not dictate her early-season decisions.
She added that if she performed strongly and found herself in contention midway through the campaign, she could reconsider her priorities.
For now, however, her focus is on exploring other opportunities rather than pursuing another overall championship.
Shiffrin Admits the World Cup Calendar Is Too Demanding
Shiffrin’s decision also reflects the physical demands of competing across the World Cup calendar.
Asked whether the current schedule had become too demanding, she admitted that it was difficult for her to manage.
According to the American, maintaining a competitive level across multiple disciplines requires athletes to be at their physical peak and sustain their momentum throughout the season.
She recalled struggling during the middle of last season when she attempted to squeeze additional slalom training sessions into her schedule to maintain her coordination. The extra workload eventually forced her to take more recovery days.
Shiffrin explained that she had been trying to get ahead of the physical demands before they became overwhelming.
Although she has strong opinions about the World Cup calendar, she acknowledged that deciding how to organise the season is a complicated task.
The six-time overall champion also stressed that her concerns extend beyond the number of races. She believes athletes need sufficient time to train, recover and prepare properly between competitions.
Giant Slalom Is Inspiring Her New Approach
Shiffrin’s growing enthusiasm for giant slalom has also influenced her decision to change her programme.
She explained that every giant slalom training session leaves her eager to discover how much further she can progress in the discipline.
The American has therefore decided to devote more time to developing her performance rather than continuing to concentrate so heavily on slalom.
However, she is not abandoning the event that has established her as one of the greatest alpine skiers in history. Shiffrin has recorded 110 World Cup victories and remains one of the sport’s most successful competitors.
She revealed that the possibility of reducing her slalom schedule had crossed her mind during the previous season, particularly as she became increasingly aware of the physical demands of competing so frequently.
For several years, she had wished for an additional day after races to recover properly, reset physically and work on her strength.
Instead, she often felt as though she was constantly chasing the next training session or competition, leaving little opportunity to prepare adequately and recover.
Shiffrin eventually realised that she had more control over her schedule than she had previously acknowledged, prompting her to make changes.
Last season, she won her ninth slalom Crystal Globe and claimed her second Olympic slalom gold medal at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. She also finished fourth in the World Cup giant slalom standings but ended the super-G campaign outside the top 30.
Her most recent World Cup super-G victory came in December 2022.
Shiffrin Opens Up About Her Biggest Fear
Despite her impressive achievements, Shiffrin revealed that her greatest fear is not losing races, suffering another injury or missing out on another championship.
Instead, she is concerned that her passion for competition could eventually diminish.
She explained that she currently feels highly motivated but admitted that repeated questions about her future have encouraged her to think more deeply about how motivation works.
Shiffrin questioned whether motivation eventually runs out or whether athletes can continually find new sources of inspiration to sustain their careers.
She also wondered how she would recognise the moment when it was time to stop competing.
The American explained that she is no longer chasing a specific number of victories or working towards a predetermined career target.
Rather than measuring her future by the number of races she wins, she wants to continue competing because she genuinely enjoys the sport.
Shiffrin acknowledged that she sometimes feels as though she is moving forward without a fixed destination, but insisted that her enthusiasm for skiing remains strong.
She is still excited about getting on the slopes each day, suggesting that her immediate passion for the sport remains intact.
Shiffrin Prepares for the New World Cup Season
The new Alpine skiing World Cup season is scheduled to begin with the giant slalom in Sölden on October 25.
Shiffrin’s first planned slalom appearance is expected to come later in the autumn at Killington, following her decision to skip the opening events in Levi and Gurgl.
Her revised programme represents a significant adjustment for an athlete who has dominated slalom for much of her career.
However, the change also gives her an opportunity to pursue further development in giant slalom and attempt to regain her competitive standing in super-G.
With six overall World Cup titles, nine slalom Crystal Globes and two Olympic slalom gold medals, Shiffrin has already established an extraordinary record.
Her latest decision suggests that, rather than concentrating exclusively on adding more victories to that record, she is increasingly interested in discovering what else she can achieve before her career eventually comes to an end.
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