On its 4-Year Cue, Skiing Re-enters the Spotlight Ahead of Olympics

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports A series of races known as Birds of Prey in the Rocky Mountains helped to show who is rounding into form ahead of the Beijing Games. A Norwegian, the Swiss and Austrians appear strong — as usual.https://nyti.ms/3ooESG8

Mikaela Shiffrin Has a World Cup Record, and, Finally, a Rival

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Shiffrin tied the career record for World Cup wins in a single discipline, slalom, beating Petra Vlhova of Slovakia, the sport’s reigning overall champion.https://nyti.ms/3xwLpkV

5 Games to Watch This Weekend

By BY VICTOR MATHER from NYT Sports Finals in the N.W.S.L. and collegiate field hockey, Mikaela Shiffrin in World Cup skiing and an intriguing N.F.L. matchup.https://nyti.ms/3kPkP1c

Mikaela Shiffrin Is Not Going Downhill

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports This winter, Shiffrin didn’t win as often as she usually does, but the ski racer says she is exactly where she needs to be given the pandemic and the death of her father.https://nyti.ms/3rBd8MX

Winter Sports Athletes Are Crisscrossing Europe for Races. Is That a Good Idea?

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports A World Cup schedule demands what medical experts have been advising against since March — large group gatherings and international travel.https://nyti.ms/2Tlf2m9

Mikaela Shiffrin, Staggered by 2020, Wants to Enjoy Ski Racing Again

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Her father’s death, pandemic-caused cancellations and a wildfire evacuation gave the World Cup champion a new view on competing: “I want to enjoy it, the way I have enjoyed it in the past.”https://nyti.ms/2Ene44Y

For Mikaela Shiffrin, a Week Without Races Is a Resounding Success

By BY KAREN CROUSE from NYT Sports After flying to Sweden and steeling herself for her first event since her father’s death, Shiffrin declared victory despite never leaving the starting gate.https://nyti.ms/39MfMHr

World Cup Skiing Searches for Answers to Its Injury Problem

By BY BRIAN PINELLI from NYT Sports Top ski racers are being shelved at an alarming rate, forcing the “adrenaline sport” to re-evaluate its methods.https://nyti.ms/2TivkNa

Will the Next Great Male Ski Racer Please Come Down the Hill?

By BY SHAUNA FARNELL from NYT Sports Mikaela Shiffrin dominates women’s ski racing. The retirement of Marcel Hirscher has left void on the men’s side.https://nyti.ms/2LuEZw1

Mikaela Shiffrin, the Best on Skis, Gets Used to Putting a Sport on Her Shoulders

By BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports After setting a host of World Cup records, Shiffrin is taking on the task of replacing Lindsey Vonn as the face of American skiing.https://nyti.ms/2TSOaN7

Lindsey Vonn: A Dominant Career in Photos

By BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Vonn retired on Sunday at 34, capping a career that featured unprecedented World Cup accomplishments and gave her legitimate celebrity status.https://nyti.ms/2GjW7Um

Lindsey Vonn, Unable to Finish a Competition, Says She May Have to Retire Early

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports Vonn, who has been plagued by injuries and was planning to retire in December, said she expected to decide in the next few days whether she could continue her storied skiing career.https://nyti.ms/2AQdTtJ

Mikaela Shiffrin Embraces the Next Stage, With Roger Federer as a Guide

By BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Shiffrin, 23, has a gaggle of sponsors and a brand to cultivate, public appearances and media obligations, and a throng of up-and-comers nipping at her heels.https://nyti.ms/2AiWoBt

The Ski Team That Sleeps Together Wins a Lot of Gold Medals Together

By BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Norway’s skiers say their team’s ability to punch above its weight on the mountain is directly related to its team harmony. Sometimes they share beds.http://nyti.ms/2o4N5zL