Skiing's biggest star Lindsey Vonn will not be in S?lden this weekend as she plots her return to competition following yet another injury setback. Expect her to shine on the slopes when the opportunity arises.
Skiing's biggest star Lindsey Vonn will not be in S?lden this weekend as she plots her return to competition following yet another injury setback. Expect her to shine on the slopes when the opportunity arises.
Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Vonn's countrywoman Mikaela Shiffrin remains the dominant force in the world of slalom skiing with five victories in the discipline last season.
Vonn's countrywoman Mikaela Shiffrin remains the dominant force in the world of slalom skiing with five victories in the discipline last season.
Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Anna Fenninger narrowly won the overall title by winning the final giant slalom of the season at Meribel over closest rival Tina Maze. Sadly their rivalry will not shape this season with Maze having taken a year out and Fenninger ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
Anna Fenninger narrowly won the overall title by winning the final giant slalom of the season at Meribel over closest rival Tina Maze. Sadly their rivalry will not shape this season with Maze having taken a year out and Fenninger ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
A downhill and Super-G specialist, Lara Gut is Switzerland's best hope for this World Cup season. She can also speak five languages: Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
A downhill and Super-G specialist, Lara Gut is Switzerland's best hope for this World Cup season. She can also speak five languages: Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Liechtenstein's Tina Weirather was born to ski at the highest level, the offspring of Hanni, a two-time overall World Cup winner and double Olympic champion, and Harti, who was a world champion in 1982.
Liechtenstein's Tina Weirather was born to ski at the highest level, the offspring of Hanni, a two-time overall World Cup winner and double Olympic champion, and Harti, who was a world champion in 1982.
NATHAN BILOW/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Julia Mancuso is an outside bet to shine this season having cut short her last season with a right-hip injury before undergoing 15 stitches in her head when hitting her head on coral reef in the off-season.
Julia Mancuso is an outside bet to shine this season having cut short her last season with a right-hip injury before undergoing 15 stitches in her head when hitting her head on coral reef in the off-season.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
The long-haired Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud, a lifelong Liverpool fan, will no doubt have been boosted by the recent appointment of Jurgen Klopp. Downhill and Super-G World Cup winner last year, he just missed out on the overall title.
The long-haired Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud, a lifelong Liverpool fan, will no doubt have been boosted by the recent appointment of Jurgen Klopp. Downhill and Super-G World Cup winner last year, he just missed out on the overall title.
Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
That particular accolade went to Austria's Marcel Hirscher, a slalom specialist whose idea of an off-season switch-off was to become embroiled in dirt biking, white water kayaking and climbing.
That particular accolade went to Austria's Marcel Hirscher, a slalom specialist whose idea of an off-season switch-off was to become embroiled in dirt biking, white water kayaking and climbing.
Stanko Gruden/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The man in third place overall was France's Alexis Pinturault. Still a rising star at 24 and one of the sport's most versatile skiers, he has made no secret of his desire to win the overall title in 2016.
The man in third place overall was France's Alexis Pinturault. Still a rising star at 24 and one of the sport's most versatile skiers, he has made no secret of his desire to win the overall title in 2016.
Al Bello/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Italian Dominik Paris showed flashes of brilliance last season, notably winning the Super-G in Kitzbuhel. His favourite music is death metal while his favourite band Pantera.
Italian Dominik Paris showed flashes of brilliance last season, notably winning the Super-G in Kitzbuhel. His favourite music is death metal while his favourite band Pantera.
Jonas Ericsson/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Last seen singing with Usain Bolt at Oktoberfest, Felix Neureuther is no stranger to mixing it with other sports - seen here interviewing Bastian Schweinsteiger when he was still a Bayern Munich player. On the slopes, he's a slalom specialist.
Last seen singing with Usain Bolt at Oktoberfest, Felix Neureuther is no stranger to mixing it with other sports - seen here interviewing Bastian Schweinsteiger when he was still a Bayern Munich player. On the slopes, he's a slalom specialist.
Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
Ted 'the Shred' Ligety is the master of the tight turn and, aged 31, still has the propensity to shine on the big occasion.
Ted 'the Shred' Ligety is the master of the tight turn and, aged 31, still has the propensity to shine on the big occasion.
Stanko Gruden/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
In the start gate: skiing's ones to watch

Story highlights

Anna Fenninger took overall title in last race of 2015

Both Fenninger and rival Tina Maze not racing this season

Marcel Hirscher bidding for record fifth overall World Cup title

CNN  — 

It was a season that spanned six months and 32 races at 15 venues but it all came down to the final minute of the entire World Cup calendar.

Austria’s Anna Fenninger crossed the line in a time of one minute 13.65 seconds and more crucially in front of Slovenia’s Tina Maze to be crowned the 2015 overall champion in a stunning season-long rivalry.

The new season which starts with the Giant Slalom at the Rettenbach Glacier in S?lden, Austria this weekend, however, will not see a repeat of that spectacular duel.

Maze is taking a year’s sabbatical after 16 straight seasons in the sport while Fenninger’s hopes of sealing a third straight World Cup overall crown were dashed earlier this week after sustaining a serious knee injury during training.

Tears to her anterior cruciate ligament and patella tendon in her right knee have ruled her out for the season, according to the Austrian Ski Federation.

Lindsey Vonn had been due to give the sport a welcome fillip by returning in S?lden from injury but has delayed her season start until the first downhill and Super-G races of the season at Lake Louise, Canada, in early December.

Vonn, who this week celebrated her 31st birthday, suffered a fracture in her ankle after a crash in August but has since resumed training.

Hirscher targets fifth straight overall title

The men’s season also gets underway in S?lden as Austrian Marcel Hirscher bids to defend his overall World Cup crown who like his compatriot Fenninger only sealed overall victory in the final race of the previous campaign.

In the off season, Hirscher, who was victorious at the season opener in S?lden 12 months ago, has been white-water kayaking, undergone a racing driver’s course and got involved in dirt-bike racing.

Hirscher has made no secret of the fact he is targeting Marc Girardelli’s record of five overall World Cup titles – the 26-year-old won his fourth consecutive crown in 2015.

The Austrian admitted in an interview with CNN that being overall champion “means everything for me, and that’s definitely the truth.”

He added: “It was a long way to get there. We try to be professional in every direction. Training, physical training, mentally to be strong, all those things are so important.

“It’s just a big puzzle. Each piece is working really well and that is the most important reason why this is possible.”