Being one of the best alpine ski racers in the current era of the winter sport is no easy feat. However, Mikaela Shiffrin has made that seem effortless as ever. If anyone is the winningest skier in World Cup history, it would have to be her. On November 30, she looked forward to adding another jewel to her dazzling crown. The 29-year-old was set to clinch her 100th World Cup win in the second of the World Cup giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont.

Even though she’s had a dominant run throughout the slalom events in Finland and Austria, this achievement felt almost surreal for the American athlete. In fact, in her first run, the skier picked an effortless lead. Seems like the historic win was well within her reach. But here’s where things soon unraveled. As she set out for her second attempt, the 29-year-old nearly missed out on a fatal injury on the slopes. What happened? Let’s find out!

Mikaela Shiffrin’s 100th win hope comes crashing down in Vermont

After a successful first run of the giant slalom, Mikaela Shiffrin inched closer to the finish line. Unfortunately, she lost grip on her outside gate, hit a gate, and then flipped over. She then slid into another gate before eventually being stopped by protective fencing at the edge of the course. Before the accident occurred, the reigning Olympic champion Sara Hector trailed behind the 29-year-old with a 0.32s gap. 

However, Hector eventually clinched the win with a combined time of 1:53.08 seconds. As for the 29-year-old? She remained down after the crash for some time as she had to be taken off the hill on a sled, resulting in the 19th DNF in her World Cup career. After the DNF in January 2018, this was the first since then. Even though she missed out on the gold, Shiffrin’s pristine World Cup career boasts 275 starts with 99 victories.

Fans were extremely worried about Shiffrin’s condition, but she gave them a thumbs up as reassurance. However, they still weren’t convinced until a complete update came their way. The only update they have received so far from the U.S. Skiing Team was that she had been taken to a medical clinic for evaluation. Hours later, the 29-year-old told fans that there wasn’t much to be concerned about. The only issue was that she had an abrasion and couldn’t move. 

However, that wasn’t all. She apologized for scaring them and reiterated that all her scans were clear. “So, thank you for the support and concern.” The 29-year-old even gave credit where it was due as she congratulated the winners and her teammates for their performances. Even though she wouldn’t be competing in the event later, she reassured everyone that she would be cheering the skiers on from the sidelines! While her chase for glory remained unfinished, the American athlete had a lot more on her mind. 

What does legacy mean for the 29-year-old?

The last time Mikaela Shiffrin was spotted on the slopes was in the Slalom Gurgl, Austria. On November 23, she clinched her 99th World Cup victory and inched a step closer to making history. Many looked forward to her 100th win at Killington, the American’s home turf. The stakes were higher than ever, but she was determined to shake things up in the sport. But while fans witnessed her dominate the snow, the alpine skier shared the new season of her web series on YouTube – In Moving Right Along.

In the first episode of Season 3, she pulls the curtains off the most common question many ask her. Even though she is 29 years old, many often ask if she wants to leave a legacy or what she wanted to do when she would eventually big goodbye to the sport. However, this wasn’t out of the ordinary for her. The first time she was asked this question was when the American was 19 years old. But back then, she believed it was too soon to have her life planned out. 

However, Shiffrin reiterated that the question had always intrigued her. Yet, so many years later, it still creeps into the back of her mind. “It feels like you’re supposed to know what the legacy of your life is going to be, a 29-year-old, is that true? Is that real?” the alpine skier pondered. Yet, she finally had an answer to the loaded question. 

For her, legacy is something that is constantly in motion. However, she confessed that she’s uncertain about what that should look like at 29. She didn’t know how to put those into words because while she would love to go beyond the slopes, she was already doing the things she wanted to.

We might not have seen her 100th World Cup win but every time she steps onto the slope, every moment, emotion, win or loss, that has and will continue to be her legacy. Where do you see Shiffrin ending her illustrious career? Tell us in the comment section below!