SAN VIGILIO DI MAREBBE, Italy — Alice Robinson delivered an impressive performance in her second run to secure victory in the World Cup giant slalom event after both leading competitors were unable to finish on Tuesday. With Federica Brignone, the current overall leader, and Olympic champion Sara Hector out of contention, Robinson achieved a remarkable comeback, crossing the finish line 0.56 seconds ahead of Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami and 0.94 seconds before Paula Moltzan of the United States.
This triumph marks Robinson’s fourth win in the World Cup series, though it is her first since nearly four years ago. “I’m really quite speechless,” said an emotional Robinson. “It’s been four years since my last win, and there were definitely moments during that time when I questioned whether I’d ever be able to win again. To be back and claiming victory here is incredibly special, and it means so much to me.” She added, “During my second run, I focused on being courageous and skiing to the limit, and I’m truly proud of that.”
Starting the day with a fifth-place finish in the initial run, Robinson tackled the challenging Erta course at the Kronplatz resort, but had to wait anxiously to see if her time would be sufficient to hold onto the lead. Hector, who was leading in the discipline standings, skied shortly after Robinson but lost her balance near the top, crashing into a gate and sliding into the safety nets. Clearly frustrated, Hector was quick to recover and get back on her feet.
The situation escalated when Brignone, who had led after the first run, also skied out at nearly the same section of the course, shocking the spectators. Both Brignone and Hector had claimed two victories in the last four giant slalom races this season prior to their misfortune on Tuesday.
Paula Moltzan had a remarkable leap in performance, rising from tenth to secure her fourth career podium finish, and her first in giant slalom. “I just wanted to give it my all and see what would happen,” Moltzan expressed. “Being in tenth place after the first run can be challenging, but once I saw the green light at the finish, I knew I had moved up a couple of places. To actually land on the podium, especially given the obstacles faced by top athletes today, is something I’m immensely proud of.”
Following the race, Robinson ascended to the top of the giant slalom standings, now having four more points than Hector and leading Brignone by a substantial 100 points. Despite her setbacks, Brignone maintained her overall lead, thanks to two victories and two third-place finishes across her last four races. However, her recent error in giant slalom has reduced her overall margin to 55 points over defending champion Gut-Behrami.
“I understand it’s unrealistic to replicate my success from the last four races throughout the entire season. I’m really disappointed because I’m skiing well in giant slalom, yet I keep making mistakes — this is the third time I’ve skied out in five races, and it’s driving me a bit crazy,” Brignone admitted. “It’s just unfortunate.”
