The first giantess duel between Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn in six years will take place in St. Moritz. But the rivalry between the Americans is fierce - the relationship is said to be not particularly good.
Mikaela Shiffrin starts the super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday. For the 30-year-old, it is a return to the speed competitions after a long absence. Shiffrin last competed in a speed race at the super-G in Val d'Isère in December 2023. In St. Moritz, Shiffrin will compete with bib number 31.
This means that St. Moritz will also see the first major duel between the two Americans Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin since 2019. Vonn (83 World Cup victories) and Shiffrin (104) are the most successful female skiers in history, but it is said that they do not have a particularly good relationship.
Tina Weirather, for example, said on SRF on Saturday: "The reality is that each wants to win - and doesn't want the other to win." The expert also said that the two were not on such good terms. One of the moments that caused tension was before the last World Championships, when Lindsey asked Mikaela if she would ski the team event with her. Shiffrin didn't even reply to her message, formed a team with Breezy Johnson and became world champion: "That didn't necessarily improve the relationship," explains Weirather.
In St. Moritz, the starting positions are now completely different. While Lindsey Vonn, Friday's winner and Saturday's runner-up, is the favorite at the start, for Shiffrin it is a speed return after two years. She is therefore likely to have rather low expectations of herself. And perhaps the two will even improve their relationship in St. Moritz. After all, the Olympic Games are coming up in February 2026 - a team with a combined 187 World Cup victories wouldn't be so bad.
