Brignone Snatches GS Win In Solden
Federica Brignone (ITA) shook off pre-season stress to show her unrivalled touch on soft, wet snow as she flew to a thrilling giant slalom victory in the opening race of the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season in Sölden, Austria.
The Italian who recovered from early mistakes on both runs found a rhythm that no one could match to push New Zealander Alice Robinson (+0.17) into second. While home hero Julia Scheib (AUT) sent the record 15,800-strong crowd into a frenzy of delight as she grabbed her first ever podium place, finishing 1.08 seconds behind the leader.
In the absence of last season’s champion Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), who made the brave if shock call not to race after deciding she was not physically ready, it looked for a long time as if Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) would claim the 98th World Cup win of her career.
But after dominating run one, the USA superstar admitted she lost her “timing” in the tricky afternoon conditions as she faded to end fifth.
There were no such issues for Brignone, with Robinson – second after the morning run – among those who knew they were in trouble once the snow softened.
“When it's like this is she's such a touch skier and when it's a little bit bumpy and there’s slightly ‘peely’ snow she always pulls out some really epic runs,” Robinson said. “When she went before me, I knew she was going to be fast.”
So it proved. Not that Brignone found it easy. “Five really bad turns” at the top put her on the back foot, but crucially she did not “overreact”.
“The upper part of the pitch was really bumpy, and, yeah, not easy. But from there on, I felt better,” Brignone said. “I started skiing really good and pushing, and I was in the rhythm finally, and I could take this speed to the finish, and that was my force today, fantastic.”
The Italian, who at 34 is now the oldest ever winner of a women’s GS World Cup, had great form on paper, having won both the concluding GS races last season. But after declaring “summer is made for summer” and not skiing for almost five months, Brignone admitted she has been struggling for self-belief in the run-up to the season-starter.
“I was really nervous, really stressed. I freaked out. The first race is always like, ‘Oh my God, I don't know what to do’. And you don't know what to do. (But) after the first run, I said, OK I know I'm good again.”
Too good for Robinson who once again finished second. The 22-year-old has now finished runner-up in four of her past five GS races. A statistics that has its up and down sides.
“It's definitely gonna be a goal to get back to winning a race,” Robinson said with a wry smile. “But I mean I can't really complain, starting a year off with the podium is always great.
“I always struggled a little bit when the conditions were like they were in the second run, quite bumpy and really a lot of moisture in the snow. So, I was really happy that I kept really solid and skated decent run, and that kept me in a position for a podium.”
Five years ago a 17-year-old Robinson shocked the ski world by grabbing her first World Cup crown in Sölden – a time that “feels like a lifetime ago”. While Scheib’s third place was not quite as dramatic, it was quite a start for a skier who lined-up with only five top-10 individual World Cup finishes to her name in six years.
“I was dreaming of it really, because the training was really good. Techniques, basics, really good, safe skiing, fast skiing and, yeah, I thought it's possible,” Scheib said, before reflecting on what it meant to a crowd starved of recent success in the women’s technical disciplines.
“Super important for the whole team because the last podium, the last win, was a long time ago, she said. “I'm super happy to have my first podium here. To have this experience at home is so special. And yeah I think as an athlete, you want these emotions.”
Shiffrin knows just how she feels but it was not to be for her on a day in which she felt she lacked a “bit of intensity”.
“The second run I was kind of trying to address that (the lack of intensity) and missed the timing of it,” Shiffrin said. “And at least for me, if I miss the timing then I'm just kind of fighting against the tracks the whole way down. And this hill if you're fighting it then it's so slow, and if you're like really rolling with it, then it's just it feels so easy, and then it ends up being fast. And I've experienced both sides of the coin.”
Despite the slight disappointment of their star performer’s final result, it was still a stellar day for Team USA. Katie Hensien and Nina O Brien, two skiers starting their first World races in way over a year, led the charge as the stars and stripes had four skiers in the top-11.
In the opening FIS Ski Alpine World Cup in Sölden, Austria, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team's alpine women came to play, throwing four women into the top 11 - a feat that has not been achieved since the year 2000 and the best GS result in U.S. women's history since March 17, 1985. The result sheet led with Katie Hensien just shy of a podium in fourth, Mikaela Shiffrin fifth, Nina O’Brien seventh and Paula Moltzan 11th.
The excitement was in the air from the first run as all five starters put their best foot forward in the race. Mikaela Shiffrin, the winningest alpine skier of all time with 97 World Cup wins under her belt, set the pace, running first and staying there the remainder of the run. Teammate Paula Moltzan also skied well, with a minor mistake to land in the top 10 after the first run. The women could not be stopped as the long-anticipated return of Nina O’Brien and Katie Hensien skied into 17th and 21st position, an excellent place going into the second run. Keely Cashman made her return to the tech venue but did not finish first run.
“I felt solid in my skiing. I am ok with it, but the first run is always tough to see what's happening, so for the second run, I need to be on top of it,” said Shiffrin. “I felt really good with my skiing technically.”
The conditions were a bit warmer, with light rain and wind up top of the track. The snow was softer than a typical World Cup course, making it a great opportunity to stand on the ski with confidence. Running toward the beginning of the second run, O’Brien and Hensien made a statement. First, O’Brien knifed a high-speed run to take the lead. Hensien followed suit with an aggressive show to win the second run. With conditions deteriorating and the light coming in and out, Shiffrin skied well on the bumpy second run track to land fifth, with Moltzan closing out the historic day for the women in 11th.
Skier after skier came down and could not hold a candle to Hensien or O’Brien. The duo moved up over ten spots from run one. Hensien was a mere .03 seconds out of a podium finish and O’Brien had a career-best seventh-place finish,
“First race back, first time ever racing on this hill. I couldn't have asked for a better day,” beamed Hensien in the finish. “It's really good to be able to trust my body again. I trusted my skiing today and went for it and I am so happy.
The joy and smiles from the U.S. team were palpable as Hensien and O’Brien were greeted in the best way back to the World Cup and proving that their hard work, dedication and perseverance in coming back from injury had paid off. Not only were they congratulated by their team, but countless international competitors made their way to the duo to hug them and share in the happiness of the incredible comeback race.
“I am running on adrenaline but I am so happy to be here. I felt really free in the start gate and that's all I needed for today,” said O’Brien. “I could tell that my skiing was coming along in training, but you never know where you stack up when you get here, so I am proud of it, and I am happy.”
O’Brien suffered a leg injury in the Beijing Olympics on her second giant slalom in 2022, rehabbing for the 2022-23 season. She fractured her leg again while training last summer, missing the 2023-24 season. To come back this strong after two years of work is a moment she won’t forget.
“It means everything to me. Katie and I both missed last season and we were really there for each other in the rehab so this is amazing.”
The top phrases of the day started with “How did this happen?” to a positive “We are back, and we belong” from Hensien and O’Brien. Announcers in the Sölden stadium applauded the American women, claiming that the team “is on fire.”
“My teammates were incredible today, so overall, it was a really strong day for the North Americans. I am excited to watch their runs!” said Shiffrin.
“It’s actually an incredible day,” Shiffrin added.
