Sawt Falasteen - US star Shiffrin splits with long-time coach

"Mikaela Shiffrin will be moving forward with new coaching, and will continue to be supported closely by the Stifel US Alpine Ski Team coaches for the remainder of the season and in the future," the team said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The team thanks Mike Day for his work and great success over the last seven years."

Under Day's guidance since 2016, Shiffrin was left on the cusp of matching Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark's World Cup record for overall victories (86).

When Day took over as her head coach, she'd been on 20 World Cup victories. During his time as coach, she also bagged two of her three Olympic medals and 10 of her 12 world medals.

The 27-year-old American has notched up 85 victories, this season becoming the leading women's World Cup winner by overtaking now-retired former teammate Lindsey Vonn (82).

Shiffrin bagged a silver in last week's super-G at the world champs in Courchevel and Meribel to tie the modern record for individual world medals (12).

She will be among the hot favourites for Thursday's giant slalom and slalom on Saturday, both to be held in Meribel.

Topping the podium in either of those disciplines would see Shiffrin equal Austrian Toni Sailer, Frenchwoman Marielle Goitschel and Swedish racer Anja Paerson, each of whom bagged seven individual world golds in their post-WWII careers.

H.Darwish--SF-PST