World Cup ski racing event set to return to Killington in 2024

Skiing

Pending FIS confirmation, the popular Vermont event featuring Mikaela Shiffrin will go ahead for an eighth time.

The Killington Cup, annually one of the highest-attended FIS World Cup events on the women’s ski racing schedule, is set to return for another year on Thanksgiving weekend.

The Vermont-based ski area announced the competition’s return on Thursday, pending an official confirmation from the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) on June 6. Races will take place on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Held each year since 2016 (with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID pandemic), the Killington Cup has drawn upwards of 40,000 fans over the course of the two-day event in years past, showcasing the local popularity of the sport.

Much of it is also due to the continued presence and success of Mikaela Shiffrin, who attended Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy prior to turning professional. The 29-year-old U.S. skier has more World Cup wins than any racer in history (currently on 97). Shiffrin has won the slalom portion of the event at Killington six out of seven times, regularly defeating her international rivals on the slopes “Superstar,” the trail where racing is held.

Popularity around the Killington Cup has helped lead to additional domestic World Cup races. In 2023, a freestyle event at Waterville Valley was added to the calendar, and is set to occur again in 2024.