SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — The spotlight shines brightly on Italian ski champions Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia as they continue to dominate the Alpine skiing scene. Their performances have sparked discussions regarding who would triumph over the other, especially after Brignone edged out Goggia by just 0.01 seconds in their last World Cup downhill race ahead of the world championships. This dynamic duo also showcased their prowess recently, with Goggia winning a super-G and Brignone taking the downhill event during the Olympic test races in Cortina d’Ampezzo last month, both taking place on consecutive days.
The Alpine skiing world championships commenced with Italy clinching victory in the parallel team event on Tuesday. As the competition unfolds, Brignone and Goggia stand as frontrunners in a majority of the forthcoming women’s events. The schedule kicks off with the super-G on Thursday, followed by the downhill event on Saturday. The possibility of them teaming up for a new combined event next week adds another layer of excitement; here, one skier competes in downhill while the other tackles slalom. Although slalom isn’t Brignone’s forte, she may race in that discipline while Goggia takes on downhill.
Prior to these events, the individual speed races will dominate the atmosphere. Brignone, who boasts an impressive record of landing on the podium in her last seven completed races, maintains a straightforward mindset. “I will try just to do my skiing and my best and what I’ve been doing all winter and not to change anything,” she remarked. Out of 15 races she has participated in this season, Brignone has secured eight podium finishes and celebrated five victories, leading both the overall World Cup and downhill standings.
Conversely, Goggia faced a delayed start to her season due to a significant injury sustained last year, including a metal rod and screws implanted in her leg to mend her tibia and malleolus bones. Despite these challenges, she has achieved five podium standings from 11 races, including two wins; a commendable feat considering her recent history. Goggia is still familiarizing herself with the Saalbach-Hinterglemm course after missing last season’s finals. “I still have a lot to study and to learn from the video analysis,” she shared after a practice session where she placed 11th in downhill.
Gold medals in downhill events at the Olympics are part of Goggia’s impressive accolades, yet she seeks to secure her first world championship gold. Her journey includes medals from previous championship events—a silver in super-G in 2019 and a bronze in giant slalom in 2017. Regarding the current course, Goggia noted its unique characteristics, emphasizing the need to manage the varied terrain effectively. “It’s not a difficult course but it’s difficult to master correctly,” she explained, highlighting her strategy to adapt her racing approach.
Reflecting on past experiences, Brignone had a strong showing at the last year’s World Cup finals in Saalbach, where she triumphed in the giant slalom, finished second in super-G, and placed ninth in the downhill. This season, she has significantly improved her performance in downhill, achieving her first two victories in this discipline. With additional wins in two giant slaloms and a super-G in Cortina, Brignone is well on her way to potentially claiming her second overall title.
Brignone, who at 34 years old is the oldest female to win a World Cup race, plans to compete at least one more season, looking forward to the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics. Despite her numerous accolades—including a silver and two bronzes at the Olympics, as well as a gold and two silvers at the world championships—she still aspires to secure that elusive Olympic gold.
“My anticipation is all about the worlds right now,” Brignone expressed passionately. “Austria is the temple of skiing. It’s like soccer in Italy. I was injured during the last Austrian worlds (in Schladming in 2013), so these are my first worlds in Austria and I can’t wait to participate.”
