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.
