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THE “IT” FACTOR Professional skier, mountaineer, and World Cup announcer Chris Davenport catches up with Olympian and World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin, who claims Vail as her home turf. Winning Globes is always in the forefront. I’m trying not to place more emphasis on that even though finals are in Aspen. It would be super cool to claim some titles in front of the home crowd, but I don’t want to put added pressure on myself. I’m hoping to just get the job done, race-byrace. When that point of the season rolls around and we come back to the US for those last races I’d like to be able to enjoy it for what it is!
YOU’VE HAD SO MANY AMAZING SUCCESSES ON THE WORLD CUP AND AT THE OLYMPICS. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY?
I don’t usually like to pick out my main competition because I don’t want to overlook someone. There is always some super fast girl who seems to come out of nowhere. But I know how much work it takes to get to the top. My competitors are working as hard as they can to get there every second of the day. I do expect that Frida Hansdotter, Wendy Holdner, and Veronika Zuzulova will still be ripping in slalom. Lara Gut is at the top of her game right now with Speed and GS so I’m sure she’ll be fast, as well as Eva-Maria Brem, and I’m highly anticipating the return of Anna Fenninger (now Anna Veith) since her injury last year. She’s one of the greatest racers of this generation and I’m hoping she comes back with a vengeance.
My first World Cup was in Åre, Sweden. It was such a beautiful evening for a night race— crisp air, perfect snow conditions, and super light snow flurries every so often. It was like a dream. I just remember feeling like it was the perfect time for my first win. YOU DOMINATED THE ASPEN WORLD CUP SLALOM COURSE LAST YEAR. WHAT DO YOU MOST LIKE ABOUT RACING IN ASPEN?
Racing in Aspen is awesome. Even in the past years when I didn’t have so much success it was still one of my favorite race weekends, but with the double slalom victories last year it was even sweeter. I love that time of year because everything feels so fresh. Winter is just beginning, the snow is new, the season has just started, and you can feel the excitement in the air. WE HAVE AN EXCITING SEASON COMING UP ON THE WOMEN’S TOUR, WITH NEW RACES AT KILLINGTON, SQUAW VALLEY, AND THEN THE WORLD CUP FINALS IN ASPEN. WINNING CRYSTAL GLOBE(S) ON HOME SOIL HAS TO BE FRONT OF MIND?
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FALL+WINTER 2016/17
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THERE ARE SO MANY FANTASTIC TECH SKIERS RIGHT NOW ON THE WOMEN’S TOUR, INCLUDING FRIDA HANSDOTTER, EVA-MARI BREM, AND OVERALL CHAMPION LARA GUT. WHO IS YOUR MAIN COMPETITION THIS SEASON?
YOU WERE THE YOUNGEST WORLD CUP SLALOM CHAMPION EVER. WHAT WAS A PRO AND CON WITH THAT LABEL?
Billie Jean King once said, “pressure is a privilege.” I truly believe that. The more people expect me to win, the more I feel like I can’t lose. That’s not to say I will win every race on every given day, but having labels like the youngest slalom champ in history just reminds me that I have put in a lot of work, and that work has paid off. I believe there is only one recipe for true
success— preparation. If I’m winning, it’s because I’m prepared, and if I’m prepared, I don’t feel pressure to win. WHEN YOU’RE AT HOME IN VAIL, WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO HANG OUT?
Cinebistro movie theater. It has a burger bar with awesome burgers, sandwiches, and Loaded Fries, with cheese, bacon, and cooked onions. So good! If I want to hang out with my family we’ll usually go to Maya, a Mexican restaurant at the Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek. They have this appetizer called Quesa Fundido—Mexican cheese fondue—that I order every time. FAVORITE SKI RUN?
The Birds of Prey GS in Beaver Creek. That is such a fun trail to ski, whether it’s in gates or just freeskiing. ADVICE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH A YOUNG, UP-AND-COMING ATHLETE?
Have fun with it! Sports can be stressful, nerve-racking, frustrating. Sometimes it seems like you have to make every mistake possible before you figure out the right way down the mountain, but that is a really important process. Try to learn something from your sport every day, and know that you’ll use those lessons for the rest of your life. CURRENT BUCKET-LIST TRIP?
Africa or Thailand. But I don’t think I’ll make it to either of those places for a little while. WHEN DO WE GET TO GO FREESKIING TOGETHER?
Get in line, pal!
EXPERIENCE The 2017 Audi FIS World Cup Finals are held in Aspen, Colorado, March 15-19, 2017. For a full list of ER's ski properties visit exclusiveresorts. com/residence-collection
RACING PHOTOS: J.Selkowitz/ SelkoPhoto; VAIL: istock.com/Adventure Photo
The reigning Olympic and World Cup champion in slalom, Mikaela Shiffrin is the youngest racer in alpine skiing history to clench Olympic gold. Chris Davenport, a veteran of professional ski racing and an announcer at the 2017 Audi FIS World Cup Finals in Aspen, Colorado, learns Shiffrin is just getting started.