SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — Federica Brignone showcased her remarkable skills by winning the women’s giant slalom at the Alpine skiing world championships on Thursday, securing her dominance in both runs. The absence of defending champion Mikaela Shiffrin, who chose not to participate, did not overshadow Brignone’s achievement.
Brignone finished the race 0.90 seconds ahead of Alice Robinson, earning her second medal of these world championships after previously claiming a silver in the super-G event. This triumph further solidifies Brignone’s position at the top of the overall World Cup standings during what many consider to be her best season yet. Robinson’s silver medal marks a historic achievement for New Zealand as their first medal in the history of the world championships.
American skier Paula Moltzan claimed the bronze medal, finishing 2.62 seconds behind Brignone, marking her first-ever individual medal at these prestigious championships. Moltzan narrowly edged past Thea Louise Stjernesund of Norway, who finished just one-hundredth of a second behind her in fourth place.
Mikaela Shiffrin’s absence stemmed from her ongoing recovery after a crash in November, which led her to feel unprepared for the giant slalom competition. Brignone, expressing her joy, said, “I have been dreaming of this moment for many, many years. I was always second.” She previously earned silver in giant slalom events in both 2011 and 2023 and is now the first Italian woman to win this event since Deborah Compagnoni achieved back-to-back victories in 1996 and 1997.
Upon realizing her victory, Brignone covered her face in disbelief as Robinson and Moltzan celebrated with her at the finish area. “I’m just happy, joyful,” Moltzan expressed regarding her bronze medal. In addition to her individual accomplishments, she was part of the American team that placed fourth in Tuesday’s team combined event alongside downhill skier Lauren Macuga.
“It’s been a rollercoaster season, full of ups and downs, and to see it all come together on such a significant stage is incredible,” Moltzan added, acknowledging the support from the 11,000 spectators present, including her parents.
Looking ahead, Shiffrin intends to compete in Saturday’s slalom. She participated in the team combined event alongside Breezy Johnson, successfully navigating the slalom portion to win the event. Despite her previous victories, Shiffrin has faced challenges in her giant slalom performance. She discussed her recent struggles with conditions that require executing the right movements for fast turns, adding, “I just can’t do the movements that you need to do to make a fast GS turn.”
Shiffrin, who holds a remarkable record of 99 World Cup wins, sustained a severe injury from a fall in a giant slalom event on November 30 in Killington, Vermont. The incident led to a deep puncture wound and significant trauma to her oblique muscles, necessitating surgery in December.
With this win, Brignone, now at 34 years and 7 months, becomes the oldest female medalist at the world championships, breaking the previous record held by Lindsey Vonn, who was just four months younger when she earned a bronze in downhill in 2019. Vonn, who returned to racing this season after nearly six years away, does not compete in giant slalom anymore.
The next competition at the world championships is the men’s giant slalom scheduled for Friday.
