The Sölden Giant Slalom will be on this Saturday and Sunday. | Image: Soelden.com
Vonn or Vonnot?

The women’s starting bibs have been drawn and with its publication, all rumors about Lindsey Vonn potentially competing or starting as a forerunner have gone quiet. Vonn will not be attending the FIS Alpine World Cup in Sölden, Austria, as a ski racer. The retired U.S. ski racer had been spotted training in a race suit on the Rettenbach Glacier, and a press release by Ötztal Tourism, which mentioned Vonn by name, led some newsoutlets to the conclusion that Vonn would be competing. We had reached out to Ötztal Tourism, who confirmed her presence on the glacier for skiing but also stated very clearly that they had no idea if she was competing. A simple misinterpretation of a press release, some say to the rumors, while others, like retired Swiss ski racer and James Bond stuntman Bernhard Russi, smirk, “We’re talking about her. That’s what she wanted.”

Lindsey Vonn in a Red Bull / Head labeled race suit. | Image: Lindsey Vonn Instagram
The Hurt Locker

Missing from the starting list is U.S. ski racer AJ Hurt, who announced yesterday that she was not ready to start yet due to recurring issues with her back and shoulder.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be starting Solden this weekend. I have been struggling with back and shoulder pain since the end of last season and haven’t been able to train much on snow. I’m back home now, trying to figure out how to get rid of this pain so I can get back in the start gate as soon as possible. But until then, I’ll be cheering on my teammates!”
— AJ Hurt

Hurt had a stellar season last year, with her first World Cup career podiums in 2023-24, awarding her the “FIS Season Warrior” title. In January, the 23-year-old American ski racer came third at the FIS World Cup Slalom race in Kranjksa Gora, Slovenia, and then one week later backed it up with a third place in the Giant Slalom at Soldeu, Andorra. The Palisades Tahoe native came back from an ankle injury in November 2023, so she will be frustrated to be missing out on the start of the season but we look forward to seeing her hopefully in Levi, Finland, on November 17.

Childhood friends Alice Robinson and AJ Hurt celebrating their podium places. | Image: Alex Hull
The Canadian Grenade

Also missing from the starting list is Canada’s Valerie Grenier. Like so many other ski racers last season, the Canadian skier became a victim of the Cortina course that bucked a total of 35 skiers, including Mikaela Shiffrin. After a podium in Downhill two days prior, Grenier crashed during the Super-G and broke her humerus, tore her ACL and MCL, and injured her shoulder. The 27-year-old noticed during training in Chile that her right shin was feeling weaker and is planning on waiting for the North American ski races with her return to the World Cup circuit.

“I feel good about my skiing. Right before my injury, I was in such a good spot that I feel like, technically, I probably don’t need that much time on snow to get back to that level. As soon as I feel good enough to train a couple days in a row and just feel really strong–I think at that point I’ll be back to where I was. That’s just how I feel.”
— Valerie Grenier

Valerie Grenier crashed during the Super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo. | Image: Valerie Grenier Instagram
Shiffrin’s Slalom Arch-Rival

Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova also pulled the pin on the season opener at Sölden. The 2022 Olympic Slalom Champion suffered a torn ACL and MCL in right knee when she crashed on home ground in Jasna, Slovakia, in January 2024. The 29-year-old has also shared that she will not be competing at the Slalom race in Levi, Finland, while the Slalom race in Gurgl, Austria, on November 23 is also unlikely. “Over the next six weeks, until the end of November, she’ll be working on her physical condition,” Vlhova’s team shared with NBC Sports.

Petra Vlhova is Mikaela Shiffrin’s biggest rival in Slalom skiing. She has four Slalom World Cup titles to her name and one Overall World Cup season title from the 2020-21 season. She also is the defending Olympic champion in Slalom skiing and won the 2017 World Championship in Giant Slalom in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Vlhová wins her sixth reindeer at Levi, tying with Shiffrin for victories at the Finnish ski resort. | Image: FIS Alpine Instagram
Van Deer or Not Van Deer? That is the Question

Will Marcel Hirscher start, or will he not start? That has been the question on everyone’s mind in the men’s circuit for the last few weeks and months after the former retired Austrian turned Dutch ski racer announced his comeback to the World Cup circuit. Now it has been made official, with the Van Deer/RedBull stable announcing that Hirscher will be starting at the Giant Slalom in Sölden. 2,051 days after his last race in March 2019, the 35-year-old will return to the World Cup circuit.

Hirscher admits that he had to make up his mind a little before deciding to start again in Sölden. After all, the advice from experts that he should not start until Val d’Isere and compensate for deficits in his training until then was correct. “Nevertheless, I decided differently – to use the opportunity and take the experience with me. I used to always have that moment before Sölden when I knew: “Ok, I’m good.” I no longer have that reference feeling. From that point of view, I feel exactly the same as everyone who comments on and analyzes the situation: I have no idea where I really stand – the only way for me to find out is to race on Sunday.”

Marcel Hirscher training in Austria. | Image: RedBull
Starting List for Saturday, October 26

The women’s bibs were drawn on Friday night in Austria and the starting order published. There are X North American skiers competing in Sölden. From Team USA, we have Mikaela Shiffrin (bib 1), Paula Moltzan (bib 8), Nina O’Brien (bib 28) Katie Hensien (bib 47), and Keely Cashman (bib 54). From Alpine Canada, the starters consist of Britt Richardson (bib 21), Cassidy Gray (bib 32), and Justine LaMontagne (bib 59).

The race will be on from 10:00 a.m. CET for Run 1 (4:00 a.m. ET) and 1:00 p.m. CET (7:00 a.m. ET) for Run 2 and broadcast on NBC Sports, Peacock, skiandsnowboard.live and outsideonline.com.

You might also like: