On a day that began with sunshine and ended with clouds and rain, reigning gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin was all the light that was needed at Killington.
The 22-year old took second place in the World Cup giant slalom, even briefly holding the lead.
"Going up the chairlift, I had to cover my ears to block out all of the cheering," Shiffrin told NBC Boston of her legion of supporters.
Shiffrin may be the brightest star in skiing, but she is also someone we call one of our own in New England.
She spent some of her middle school and high school years racing and going to school In Vermont.
She is adored like a hometown hero.
"I’m hoping to be like her some day,' said Caitlin Nippis of Weymouth, Massachusetts.
Ironically, the name of he giant slalom trail today?
Superstar.
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And that’s what fans witnessed.
Shiffrin is preparing for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyongchang and says she feels older and wiser this time around.
That is good news for U.S. skiing and bad news for everyone else.
Giant slalom isn’t even her best event — she won gold in slalom.
A repeat of that and a repeat of a second in GS, and Shiffrin will go from superstar to living legend.
