Sofia Goggia:GEPA pictures
Brignone Leads After Wind-Shortened First Run as Goggia and Colturi Shine
ÅRE, Sweden— The first run of Saturday’s giant slalom in Åre delivered tight racing and a fierce battle for the top positions, despite the lowered start due to strong winds. With warm temperatures affecting the surface, race crews salted the snow to maintain its firmness, creating fast conditions and a compressed time spread among the top competitors.
Brignone Sets the Standard, Goggia Charges
Italy’s Federica Brignone, the World Cup overall leader, wasted no time stamping her authority on the race. She attacked the course with power and skill, clocking the fastest morning time at 56.53 seconds. Her best sections were in sectors 2 and 4, where she carved out her advantage.
Sofia Goggia, best known for her downhill dominance, proved once again that she is also a threat in giant slalom. With her aggressive, fearless approach, she gained time in sector 3 to finish second, just 0.34 seconds behind Brignone.
Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund, showing consistency in one of her strongest seasons in giant slalom, sits third at 0.36 seconds back, while 18-year-old Lara Colturi of Albania continued her rapid rise, finishing fourth at +0.51.
Eight Skiers Within a Second of Brignone
With Brignone setting the fastest time of the morning, eight racers finished within a second of her, ensuring the second run will be a tight fight for the podium.
- Sofia Goggia (ITA) – 0.34 back
- Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR) – 0.36 back
- Lara Colturi (ALB) – 0.51 back
- Alice Robinson (NZL) – 0.65 back
- Sara Hector (SWE) – 0.76 back
- Zrinka Ljutić (CRO) – 0.77 back
- Valérie Grenier (CAN) – 0.78 back
- Julia Scheib (AUT) – 0.97 back
With these tight margins, any skier within a second has a realistic shot at a podium, depending on how conditions evolve in the second run.
Shiffrin’s Giant Slalom Struggles Continue
A notable name missing from the second run start list is Mikaela Shiffrin, who did not finish. While a Shiffrin DNF would have been shocking in past seasons, this result aligns with her giant slalom struggles since returning from injury. After crashing while racing giant slalom in Killington, Vermont, the winningest skier in history has been searching for the form that made her a multi-time discipline champion. Even with her coach setting the course, Shiffrin couldn’t find the flow she needed, which was another frustrating setback in her giant slalom comeback.
Late Bibs Break Through and Qualify
With only the top 30 finishers advancing, the battle for qualification was fierce—especially for the later starters who had to fight through a rutted track. Four skiers among the first 30 starters failed to finish, creating added opportunities for others to qualify.
Seven women with bib numbers above 30 managed to break into the top 30, delivering strong performances against the odds:
- Kristin Lysdahl (NOR, bib 41) – 20th place (+1.94): The fastest of the later starters, Lysdahl skied with confidence and aggression, handling the deteriorating conditions to safely advance.
- Lisa Nyberg (SWE, bib 50) – Tied for 28th place (+2.27): The last starter to qualify, Nyberg held her nerve in front of the home crowd, proving that a late bib is no obstacle when paired with determination.
The time spread from first to 30th was just 2.45 seconds, making this one of the most compact first-run standings of the season.
Strong North American Presence in the Second Run
A strong contingent of seven North American skiers secured spots in the second run, with three finishing inside the top 15, ensuring they will have a chance to fight for top-10 or even podium positions.
Inside the Top 15
- Valérie Grenier (CAN) – 8th place (+0.78): The top-ranked North American, Grenier had a slow start (25th in sector 1) but built speed as the course progressed, finishing within a second of the lead.
- Paula Moltzan (USA) – 12th place (+1.23): The fastest American so far, Moltzan had one of the best third sectors, but lost significant time in the final stretch, where she gave up 0.68 seconds to Brignone.
- Britt Richardson (CAN) – 14th place (+1.51): Continuing her rapid development in World Cup giant slalom, Richardson made her presence known once again. Wearing bib 21, she delivered the 15th fastest time of the morning. Though she has posted stronger first runs this season, she remains in position to climb in the afternoon finale.
Other North Americans Who Qualified
- AJ Hurt (USA) – 16th place (+1.65): Hurt fought through a challenging final sector but skied well enough in the opening sections to secure a second run.
- Elisabeth Bocock (USA) – 24th place (+2.07): A rising star in American skiing, Bocock recently finished third in giant slalom at the Junior World Championships. She carried that momentum into Åre, handling the pressure well to comfortably qualify for the second run.
- Cassidy Gray (CAN) – 26th place (+2.19): Digging deep on a rutting course, Gray fought to earn her spot in the second run. The Canadian showed determination and resilience, making the most of the challenging conditions to keep her race alive.
- Nina O’Brien (USA) – 29th place (+2.40): O’Brien will have the crucial role of skiing second in the afternoon run. With a clear track and nothing to lose, she will have the opportunity to set the tone for the finale and make a big jump up the rankings.
Second Run Showdown Awaits
With Brignone holding the lead, the battle for the podium remains wide open. Can Goggia or Stjernesund challenge for the win? Will any of the later qualifiers charge up the standings? And how high can O’Brien climb after earning the crucial first start in the second run?
The afternoon finale will decide it all.
Top 30 First Run Results
Click images to enlarge
Run analysis of the fastest three and North American qualifiers
About the Author: Peter Lange
