In the finish area at Sölden’s Rettenbach glacier, the ski world’s most famous rivalry briefly melted into pure sportsmanship. American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin warmly welcomed Slovak rival Petra Vlhová back to World Cup giant slalom racing after more than two and a half years sidelined by a serious knee injury.
Vlhová, the 2021 overall World Cup champion and Olympic slalom gold medalist, crashed hard in a giant slalom on home snow in Jasná, Slovakia, on January 20, 2024. She tore her right ACL and damaged her meniscus, requiring surgery in Switzerland and a long, complicated recovery that included cartilage issues. After 1,008 days away from the World Cup circuit (with only limited Olympic appearances in the interim), she returned for the traditional season opener on October 24, 2026.
In the first run, Vlhová delivered a composed 11th-place effort, 1.31 seconds behind race leader Shiffrin. She described the feeling as “super” and expressed deep satisfaction simply at crossing the finish line again: “It is nice to be back… We know what I have behind me.” Overall she finished 23rd (+2.08), while the race was won by American Paula Moltzan in her first World Cup victory; Shiffrin, who had led after the opening leg, dropped to seventh after a difficult second run.
What stood out most was the human moment between the two longtime technical rivals. Footage of their warm greeting on the hill quickly circulated across ski social media. Shiffrin later told Slovak broadcaster STVR that after watching Vlhová’s strong first run she “wanted to jump over the barrier and hug her at the finish.” She called the comeback “very successful” and said she deeply respected the long road Vlhová had traveled—comparing it to the extended recovery of her own fiancé, Norwegian speed specialist Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, after a serious crash.
“It was a long road for her and I really respect how she handled it,” Shiffrin added. “I know how much these moments mean to every skier.”
Vlhová noted the genuine happiness from competitors, including Shiffrin, at seeing her back on the World Cup stage. Their relationship has long mixed fierce on-hill competition with mutual respect; the Sölden embrace underscored how shared battles and shared setbacks can turn rivals into something closer to allies.
The Alpine World Cup calendar continues in mid-November with a slalom in Levi, Finland—one of Vlhová’s traditional strongholds—where the ski world will watch closely how the returning champion builds on her emotional return.
