Vlhova making strong progress in Ushuaia: Petra is back, alternating slalom and giant slalom—could Sölden be possible?

Petra Vlhova is back and training hard in Ushuaia, with a schedule that includes almost four weeks of preparation in the “Land of Fire”, which began in the latter part of August.

Quality training in both disciplines, now managing to devote plenty of time to giant slalom as well, for the athlete we saw competing again—more than two years after the dramatic injury in Jasná—only in slalom in the runs she contested at the Olympic Games.

In fact, the Slovakian champion had already returned to training between the wide gates at the end of last season, followed by the first camps, including the one in mid-June at Stelvio, with her new coach Mario Rafetzeder, and now this crucial phase of preparation on South American snow.

The pain in her right knee now seems to be a distant memory. The second operation, in March 2025, was decisive, as was the patience shown by the Olympic slalom champion, who, by almost completely giving up her second consecutive season as well, took the time to truly return to her old self.

Will we see her in Sölden, exactly 50 days from now? It will depend solely on her level of competitiveness for the former world champion in the discipline, who has not raced on the World Cup circuit since the Jasná giant slalom on 20 January 2024—and those first cursed four gates in her home race. As for Levi, the first slalom of the season on 14 November, where Vlhova has won on six occasions, there are no doubts. “Ushuaia never disappoints—the comment Petra posted on social media—Every day I work to get my body and skiing level back into shape.”

And after that test in Cortina with no ambitions whatsoever, Petra’s genuine return to the white circus is truly getting ever closer.