Brignone star-struck for Copper Mountain training

Photo: Brignone. GEPA pictures

Italian veteran excited for Killington races as she pursues a second overall title

Federica Brignone expresses disappointment about the cancellations of the Soelden GS and inaugural Zermatt-Cervinia downhill, essentially what would have been a home race for her in Italy’s Aosta Valley. However, the Italian star is excited to shift gears and travel to the U.S. for training at Copper Mountain and racing at Killington.

Brignone and Italian teammates are traveling to the U.S. Ski Team’s official training site in Colorado on November 9th. She believes it will be a highly beneficial ten-day training block.

“It is always one of the best periods of the season for me. It is really, really nice to be there,” Brignone tells Ski Racing Media about Copper Mountain Resort in an interview from her home in La Salle, Italy. “I really enjoy training there, and it is the stars there that I like the most of the season.”

And it is not only the Colorado stargazing, skiing and aggressive Rocky Mountain snow conditions that the well-traveled Italian is psyched about.

“We stay in apartments, which is not that common for us because we normally stay in hotels,” Brignone says. “It is fun for us. I really love this place.”

Brignone is one of the numerous European racers that now embrace the Killington World Cup tech races, scheduled for November 26-27.

“They really care about what they organize there,” she says. “The crowds are big and it is very cool to race there.”

The Italian veteran has achieved success descending Killington’s Superstar run, winning the GS in 2018 by nearly a half-second. She also finished runner-up to teammate Marta Bassino in 2019. 

Perhaps the stars will once again align for her.

Extra slalom on Brignone’s plate

Working alongside her brother and coach Davide, Brignone reveals that she has been placing significant time and effort into sharpening her slalom skills. 

“I’ve been training just slalom this last week, three days in a row with amazing conditions,” Brignone says. “For me, it is already more than the last two years, so that was really fun. 

“At this time of my career, I think it is important to have new challenges, to try something different and to motivate yourself,” says the 32-year-old Italian Ski Team racer.

Brignone believes that World Cup slalom points could be pivotal as she strives to make a significant run at her second overall title. Last winter, she only accrued just 24 points in slalom. Considering her previous success in combined races with five World Cup wins and an Olympic bronze medal, she has proven she is more than capable in this discipline. 

However, she admits that super-G and GS will remain her Italian bread and butter.

“For me, the focus is super-G and GS, but for sure I will not forget slalom and also for the world championships because there is the combined.

“Downhill is there too. I will decide on races like last year because I was feeling good in downhill,” says Brignone. She scored 209 downhill points last season, 14^th in the standings.

Battling Shiffrin and Vlhova for the overall title

Brignone became the first Italian woman to win an overall title in 2019-20, tallying 1,378 points to Shiffrin’s 1,225 in the Covid-shortened season. Last season, she finished third behind Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhová; however, a substantial 438 points behind the four-time overall champion.

The multi-talented racer emphasizes that challenging Shiffrin and Vlhová for the overall title will take a huge effort and some luck.

“It is so tough with Mikaela and Petra – they are stronger than me in slalom and they are almost as strong as me in the other disciplines.

“I need to be almost perfect all season, every weekend in three disciplines if I want to compete for that,” she adds. “For sure, it is my biggest dream again, but you have to see how things are going during the season.”

Brignone exudes confidence and believes she can raise her game to make a legitimate run at a second title.

“This season, I want to be at the start and know that I can play the game – to be in shape, be healthy, give 100 percent, be competitive and be one of the best, knowing that I can win or be on the podium.

“It is almost impossible, really difficult, but never say never. I did it three years ago, so why not? It’s possible.”

Strange summertime injury setback

Brignone overcame a peculiar stress on her left knee this offseason, one that she worried would prevent her from completing a training camp in Argentina and perhaps worse.

“I didn’t ski all summer long, only in Argentina, because I had this problem in my leg,” Brignone reveals. She says that the discomfort started in the middle of May and continued for a few months.

The ailment and pain she experienced were apparently centralized on the head of her fibula and two tendons. It caused substantial inflammation.

“They didn’t understand the problem, but I said this is not normal,” she says. “It was a bit annoying, a bit of a stressful summer. I could not play tennis or do all the sports I wanted to do

“I was running around getting therapy and finally I went to an old friend, who was a physio in football, and they treated me very well,” she said.

“I went to Argentina thinking I could be coming back after one week. But in the end, it was perfect. I skied and I was really happy about that.”

Sights set on Meribel World Championships

The veteran Italian achieved her best-ever major championship results at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. She raced to a silver medal in the GS and bronze in the combined.

Considering her highly disappointing showing at the 2021 Cortina d’Ampezzo world championships, perhaps Brignone is poised to carry her spirited Olympic achievements into February’s world championships in Meribel, France.

“It’s impossible to say. You can be really in shape over two weeks, or you can be sick, have problems and fail to adapt to the snow,” Brignone said. “Look what happened to Mikaela last year (in China).

“I love Meribel. It is close to home and I’m looking forward to racing there, but it is unpredictable.”

Defending her super-G crown

Brignone’s initial career success came in GS, but she has blossomed into a dominant force in super-G.

Last season, Brignone cruised to her maiden super-G title, winning the discipline by 116 points over teammate Elena Curtoni. Shiffrin finished third.

“I was second in the World Cup for two seasons. Super-G has always been my favorite,” Brignone says. “Last year I was able to be more consistent and confident with myself.”

Breaking down her 20 World Cup victories, seven have come in super-G, three of which were achieved last season. She has eight wins in GS.

The Italian’s triumvirate of super-G victories came in St. Moritz, Zauchensee and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

“I felt very good and I was in a good flow,” she adds. “In the difficult parts, I was always one of the best and I think that made the difference.”

Italy’s winter sports athlete of the year 2022

Brignone was named FISI Athlete of the Year 2022, sharing the honor with her Italian teammate Sofia Goggia. The award is presented annually to Italy’s best winter sports athlete.

It is the second time that Brignone has been bestowed the honor. She was also recognized in 2020, following her World Cup title. Her Beijing 2022 double Olympic medal performance and record-breaking 20th World Cup victory were the catalysts. Goggia relished her third downhill title and overcame a crash and knee injury in January to win an Olympic downhill silver medal in China.

“We both had amazing seasons and they probably didn’t know who to choose. So they gave it to both of us to not make any trouble,” Brignone says, partly joking. “It’s really cool to be part of a big (Italian) movement in alpine skiing that has achieved so much.”

Follow Brian on Twitter – @Brian_Pinelli