Olympic slalom champion Petra Vlhova will miss next month’s World Alpine Skiing Championships and has now been sidelined due to injury for more than one year.
Vlhova, a 29-year-old from Slovakia, fell in a race last Jan. 20, tearing at least one right knee ligament and then undergoing surgery.
“Petra’s knee rehabilitation is finally on the right track, with encouraging progress every day,” coach Mauro Pini said, according to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. “Unfortunately, the setbacks she faced in December and January have made it impossible for her to participate in the World Championships in Saalbach. We had hoped she could compete for medals, but that won’t happen this time. However, this marks a new chapter for Petra, with her focus already shifting to the Winter Olympics in Cortina 2026.”
Vlhova has been Mikaela Shiffrin’s primary rival in the slalom for the last several years.
In 68 World Cup slaloms between March 2017 and November 2024, Shiffrin won 38, Vlhova won 21 and the rest of the world won nine.
Shiffrin is currently sidelined indefinitely after falling in a Nov. 30 giant slalom, sustaining a puncture wound in the right side of her abdomen and severe muscle trauma.
The last four World Cup slaloms were held without Vlhova and Shiffrin. Swiss Camille Rast won two, and Croatian Zrinka Ljutic won two.
The World Cup continues with a giant slalom on Tuesday in Kronplatz, Italy.
How to watch the world’s best Alpine skiers on NBC Sports and Peacock.
Petra Vlhova, the reigning overall World Cup champion in alpine skiing, has announced that she will miss the upcoming World Alpine Skiing Championships due to a knee injury.
Vlhova, who hails from Slovakia, sustained the injury while training in Austria earlier this month. Despite her best efforts to recover in time for the championships, Vlhova and her team have made the difficult decision to prioritize her long-term health and skip the event.
The absence of Vlhova, who is known for her impressive technical skills and fierce competitiveness, will undoubtedly be felt at the championships. Fans and fellow competitors alike will miss seeing her take on the challenging courses and fierce competition.
We wish Petra Vlhova a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back on the slopes in the near future. In the meantime, we will be cheering on all the athletes competing at the World Alpine Skiing Championships as they showcase their talents and push themselves to new heights.
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