Three-time defending World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin has confirmed that she will return to competition this weekend in Åre, Sweden, after taking several weeks off when her father, Jeff Shiffrin, died suddenly in early February.
Shiffrin would still have a slim chance of defending her title despite slipping into second place during her absence, but that quest seems secondary under the circumstances.
“I still have no real goals or expectations,” Shiffrin said in a social media announcement. “I just would like to try to race again before the end of the season.