Page 18 - at

A18

SPORTSTuesday 9 February 2016

French Cuisine
Daily chef’s specials

Exclusive wines

Free WIFI

Located at The Village (across from Radisson)
T: +297 586 5400 | www.papillonaruba.com|
Open daily from 5 pm – 10.30 pm

Slalom champion Shiffrin returns to racing next week

PAT GRAHAM In this Nov. 28, 2015 file photo, United States’ Mikaela Shiffrin waves on the podium after winning the women’s World Cup slalom ski
AP Sports Writer race in Aspen, Colo.
Olympic and world slalom
champion Mikaela Shif- Associated Press
frin said she will return to
World Cup ski racing next her ski sponsor, Atomic. “I I have thought about my and recently went through She said she never re-
week in Crans-Montana, rarely fall when I’m skiing. knee like a big cut on my gates. ally considered sitting out,
Switzerland, after a knee If I’m scared in a situation, leg or something.” “I had to keep my speeds even though it could’ve
injury sidelined her for two training or racing, I would While away, she said she really slow so I didn’t put protected her starting posi-
months.
Shiffrin moved up her tend to slow myself down watched every men’s and too much force through tion for 2016-17.
comeback plans when a
slalom event was orga- before taking the risks and women’s World Cup race. the joint,” explained Shiffrin, “No matter how it effects
nized for next Monday at who will train in Colorado my start order, I would real-
Crans-Montana. The Amer- crash hard. “I would pretend that I was until later this week before ly regret knowing that I was
ican racer announced
Monday on her Facebook “I am lucky that I hurt two skiing it and figure out how
page: “See ya in a week!”
Originally, she was target- of the things in my knee I might ski it differently than flying to Switzerland. “We 100 percent and ready to
ing a return for the World
Cup finals in St. Moritz, that can heal on their own the other girls,” said Shiffrin, just wanted to see how my race and decided not to
Switzerland, in March. With really well. If I had hurt who turns 21 on March 13. knee responded to being anyway,” Shiffrin said. “I’m
only three slaloms left, my ACL or meniscus and Shiffrin returned to snow on skis and snow before a racer at heart. I belong in
the three-time defending needed surgery, I think this in late January, with some putting energy into the ski.” the starting gate.”q
champion won’t be able
to retain her crown in the would have been a lot easy drills. Steadily, she
discipline.
Shiffrin won two slalom more difficult for me. But ramped up her training
races this season — both
in Aspen, Colorado, and
both by big margins — be-
fore tearing a ligament
and bruising a bone in her
right knee while training for
a giant slalom race in Swe-
den two months ago. Her
right ski slipped and then
her knee buckled, before
hitting some grippy snow
that caused her to hyper-
extend her knee and skid
into the protective netting.
“I never thought that
I would have an injury
because I have always
worked as hard as I can
to prevent injuries,” Shiffrin
said in a release through