Mikaela Shiffrin

[peterm]

Stoked to see a Kiwi doing well racing at this level. The only other one I recall is Annelise Coberger way back in early 1990s.
With the recent successes of Craig Murray, Nico Porteous, and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott it feels like NZ snow sports is on a roll.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Not that I am any authority but have never seen a WC racer that stays balanced and in control and be as fast as Mikaela. Dominating combination of talent, hard work, intelligence and attitude. Still say the St. Moritz S.G. race and win was some of the best ski racing I have ever seen. Yes, there are more exciting racers and races, Bode skiing on one ski, Bill Johnson skiing off course, recovering and winning a downhill are special moments. Watching the Mahres and Rahlves was always special. Shiffrin will/has already at 24 put her mark on Alpine Womens WC racing and it has been fun to watch. Thanks to Swede, Muleski,4ster,Primoz, James and Phil and Tricia for giving us this forum our vicarious pleasure into ski racing.

 

[Mike King]

Some comments in the Frida Hansdotter thread about how Frida, and others, are unlucky to have been on the WC circuit at the same time as Mikeala prompt me to ask the question: "Is Mikeala a freak of nature or is her success a result of her incredible hard work?" After all, she is remarkably focused and has been for a long time, putting in more effort and focus than anyone else, at least as I understand it. So what do you think?

 

[Swede]

Some comments in the Frida Hansdotter thread about how Frida, and others, are unlucky to have been on the WC circuit at the same time as Mikeala prompt me to ask the question: "Is Mikeala a freak of nature or is her success a result of her incredible hard work?" After all, she is remarkably focused and has been for a long time, putting in more effort and focus than anyone else, at least as I understand it. So what do you think?

I think it is an impossible question. But no doubt she has a perfect gene pool to begin with, physically and mentally. Then ... she is a child of her circumstances. Upbringing, know-how, resources. Then the right peers, coaches etc. So most probably a jackpot in most ways. A perfect storm.

 

[Michael Kane]

Someone was discussing Jeff Beck. He said, that there were a bunch of guitarists who were as talented as Beck and others who worked just as hard and willing to spend hours on the day working on playing. However, there have only been a handful who have had the talent and the will to work as hard or harder that him. I think the same applies to Shiffrin.

 

[pause]

So the 2019 WC season is in the record books. I don’t think it’s been discussed here yet, so here goes....Was MS’s 2019 season the best single season in “modern” WC history? Let’s say modern era started in 1986 when Super G was added to the circuit.

 

[Muleski]

So the 2019 WC season is in the record books. I don’t think it’s been discussed here yet, so here goes....Was MS’s 2019 season the best single season in “modern” WC history? Let’s say modern era started in 1986 when Super G was added to the circuit.

I think the universal opinion would be yes. Tina Maze's 2013 season established a record for WC points, 2414. She was never the same. The season took a lot out of her. Skied every event, pretty much every race.

When you add up all of MS's accomplishments this season, they pretty much just explode off the sheet. Wins, globes, points, the works.

I think the best thing is that she is rumored to be really relaxed, healthy and happy. Not the case a year ago.

 

[Average Joe]

Mikaela this season set another record that will be hard to beat - 1,160 SL points,

By comparison, her idol Marlies Schild, winner of 35 SL races, earned 760 SL points in 2012 and 2007. Verni Schneider earned 860 points in 1994. Mikaela beat that with a 980 point season last year, and now a 1,160 point year - wonder how long that record will last?

Not to drift too far sideways, but it's worth noting that Petra Vlahova's 877 point SL season would have won the SL globe every single year except for 2018 and 2019.

 

[James]

The fact that nobody cares one bit about LV and this record, or coming close post-retirement is kind of telling. She's the best woman speed skier in history. No question. She has an incredible career. And now, she and her 1.7Mil Instagram followers have pretty much moved on. What record was that? Stenmark is so shy and reclusive that he never promotes or discusses it.

I think that's mainly because of Mikaela's incredible pace of winning. There's no fount she'd eclipse Lindsey if healthy. A big if.
I think Zlindsey's retirement in general would have been much bigger had Mikaela not been here. The "best ever" retires, but wait!... this one is probably the best ever.

 

[Primoz]

prompt me to ask the question: "Is Mikeala a freak of nature or is her success a result of her incredible hard work?"

Contrary to what @Swede says, it's pretty easy question. It's both. You can be huge talent but without lot of work you won't win a shi*t in elite category (you can win kid races just on talent). Or you can work 3 times more then everyone else, and you can't win anything if you don't have talent (days of Ivica Kostelic are long gone). So today, you need to be both, huge talent and work like crazy, otherwise you are just average Joe.

 

[Swede]

Contrary to what @Swede says, it's pretty easy question. It's both. You can be huge talent but without lot of work you won't win a shi*t in elite category (you can win kid races just on talent). Or you can work 3 times more then everyone else, and you can't win anything if you don't have talent (days of Ivica Kostelic are long gone). So today, you need to be both, huge talent and work like crazy, otherwise you are just average Joe.

That's cheating.

 

[Average Joe]

....otherwise you are just average Joe.

.....but I get my “15 minutes of fame” once in a while....

 

[Primoz]

Sorry, I should have tag you @Average Joe

 

[sparty]

Contrary to what @Swede says, it's pretty easy question. It's both. You can be huge talent but without lot of work you won't win a shi*t in elite category (you can win kid races just on talent). Or you can work 3 times more then everyone else, and you can't win anything if you don't have talent (days of Ivica Kostelic are long gone). So today, you need to be both, huge talent and work like crazy, otherwise you are just average Joe.

And based on what I've read (i.e. public sources, I have no insider connections at that level), it seems that Shifrin's success is based in part on how long she's been combining that natural talent with an incredible work ethic and intelligent training/competition plans. Everyone else seems to be playing catch up, and because of the level of support across the board at that level, the incremental gains are tiny (i.e. if Shifrin's plan—including fitness, training, nutrition, rest, and competition schedule—leaves any performance on the table for another athlete or team to capitalize on, it's not much).

 

[James]

She also likes it and is motivated. She has a good mind for it, technically oriented with likely a very good memory for course studying. Plus she probably did that all the time-try to memorize a course.

She's a bit of a freak in that she has liked drills from a young age. There's something about it that is satisfying to her. She was dusting people at 14 and didn't race all that much. Now was she training hates all the time, freeskiing or both, don't lnow. 1st wcup start at 15. Yikes. Imagine being a girl and racing her at say 12-3? Just a few years later she's on the world cup.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

AND, we shouldn't forget her TEAM. I really don't know the make up of her team. Combining her coaches, her mom, the ski tuning team, course team, physical workout team (in season) and summer conditioning team. Atomic ski and boot people. Location, meals, sleeping, transportation people basically all over the Alpine world winter and summer. She obviously has a great family, ski/race team which is large, diversified and competent.

 

[Tricia]

Just saw a blurb on NBC that Mikaela will be on the Today Show Thursday morning. I didn't catch the details.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Just saw a blurb on NBC that Mikaela will be on the Today Show Thursday morning. I didn't catch the details.

Will record, can't wait to see how many dumb questions they ask.

 

[Uncle-A]

MS will be interviewed on NBC TODAY in the third hour today if you want to see her or record the interview. Better be quick it is soon.

 

[Dwight]

MS showing more of her personality on Instagram.