Industry News
Thousands of locals, tourists, and fans turned out to celebrate Mikaela Shiffrin’s record-breaking season in Vail, CO, on Sunday, April 2, 2023. The town of Vail hosted a celebration at the Solaris Plaza in front of the Solaris Hotel, in which the American race skier was welcomed home with all the fanfare and accolades the 28-year-old deserved. Mikaela Shiffrin was born in Vail in 1995 but now resides in Edwards, CO.
Mikaela Shiffrin broke Ingemar Stenmark’s longstanding record for most World Cup victories in March when the American ski racer won her 87th World Cup at Åre, Sweden, on March 11, 2023. The celebration was announced on March 17 and dubbed ‘Mikaela87’, however, the ski racer actually finished the 22/23 season with a total of 88 victories after also winning at the World Cup Finals in Soldeu, Andorra.
The American skier entered the Solaris Plaza in a blue fluffy coat by her sponsor Adidas to the cheers of thousands. Shiffrin walked past the crowd along a walkway lined with 88 stars, each marking one of her World Cup victories, as the crowd waved flags and cheered on. On stage, the race skier was welcomed by Doug Lewis, a former U.S. Alpine Ski Team member and two-time Olympian, who was host of the celebrations. There were video messages from politicians and gifts from local counties for Shiffrin.
Alumni from the U.S. Ski Team entered the stage, each carrying an Atomic ski imprinted with a record held by Mikaela Shiffrin. This was followed by video messages from other fellow ‘GOATs,’ like Ingemar Stenmark and tennis star Roger Federer, as well as notable celebrities, like Chelsea Handler and Patrick Dempsey. Mikaela was then presented with her own very real and very furry goat.
The event was closed out with Mikaela addressing the crowd in Vail:
“The support that I get from Colorado, this valley, from home, that is something that drives me throughout the season. It has for my entire career. It has been such a privilege to grow up in this community. After all the traveling that I’ve done, this is one of the few places that you get the best of everything here. You get the best skiing, you get the best summer outdoor activities, you get the best people, you get the best health care. It’s a very rare thing, it’s very unique and, especially for all the kids here, I hope you know how privileged you are, how privileged we are to grow up in such a special, strong community.”
After the formalities wrapped up, the star took time to sign autographs and take pictures with her adoring fans.
