In a devastating blow to her World Cup campaign, Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury during the first run of a women's World Cup giant slalom near her hometown of Liptovsky Mikulas.

Vlhova, known for her long-standing rivalry with American skier Mikaela Shiffrin in slalom, suffered torn ligaments in her right knee when she crashed and slid into the safety netting. The incident occurred just 14 seconds into her run in front of a crowd of 10,000 spectators in Jasna.

Expressing her determination to overcome this setback, Vlhova released a statement through her team, saying, "I'm positive I can handle the situation. I will fight for the earliest possible comeback."

The 2019 world giant slalom champion, Vlhova was also crowned the overall champion in 2021, defeating her rival Shiffrin. Their rivalry has spanned several years, with the two athletes dominating the slalom standings this season, winning all seven races between them.

Shiffrin currently leads the standings with 25 points more than Vlhova and 168 more than third-placed Lena Duerr. Despite being the runner-up in the overall standings, Vlhova had chosen to focus only on slalom and giant slalom events this season, not considering herself a contender for the overall title.

The race weekend in Slovakia, which includes a slalom event on Sunday, will be incomplete without the presence of Vlhova. The absence of the talented Slovakian skier will surely be felt by fans and fellow competitors alike.

As Vlhova embarks on her recovery journey, the skiing world will eagerly await her return to the slopes, hoping to witness the resurgence of her fierce rivalry with Shiffrin in the seasons to come.