Camille Rast SUI / Kranjska Gora / GEPA picture
The women’s World Cup giant slalom arrives in Kronplatz, Italy, with rare balance at the top of the standings. Three different women have already won GS races this season, setting the stage for a wide-open contest on one of the calendar’s iconic venues. Below is the complete Kronplatz women’s GS start list, including the top five season standings, WCSL leaders, USA and Canada entries, and how and when to watch.
Top Five — World Cup GS Season Standings
- Bib 2 — 🇦🇹 Julia Scheib (AUT) — YOB 1998 — GS season rank 1 — Leader
- Bib 1 — 🇳🇿 Alice Robinson (NZL) — YOB 2001 — GS season rank 2 — –13
- Bib 4 — 🇸🇪 Sara Hector (SWE) — YOB 1992 — GS season rank 3 — –88 — HEAD
- Bib 6 — 🇨🇭 Camille Rast (SUI) — YOB 1999 — GS season rank 4 — –115 — HEAD
- Bib 8 — 🇺🇸 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — YOB 1995 — GS season rank 5 — –335 — Atomic, Oakley
Scheib sets the benchmark
🇦🇹 Scheib has been the most consistent skier in women’s GS this season, reaching the podium in five of six races, including three victories. She blends aggression and skill, qualities that matter on a Kronplatz course that punishes rushed line choices and rewards timing through the fall-away sections.
Robinson’s ceiling, Rast’s momentum
🇳🇿 Robinson brings the highest ceiling in the field. She has three podiums this season, including two wins, but also two first-run DNFs and an eighth-place finish in Sölden, a reminder that her aggressive approach walks a fine line. When she finishes, she threatens to win.
🇨🇭 Rast, the most recent GS winner in Kranjska Gora, arrives with confidence and momentum. Her form in slalom has carried over into GS, and her composure under pressure makes her a real front-end threat on any terrain.
Moltzan’s breakthrough, Shiffrin’s return
🇺🇸 Paula Moltzan (USA) continues to build one of the strongest GS seasons of her career. Kronplatz was the site of her first World Cup GS podium last season, and she has since added two more GS podiums this winter, along with bronze in the giant slalom at last season’s World Championships in Saalbach. Few skiers in the field are more reliable when conditions get demanding.
Behind her, 🇺🇸 Shiffrin continues a steady return to top form in GS. She has not won a World Cup race since her injury in the 2024 season, but her record remains unmatched: 22 World Cup GS wins, part of 43 World Cup GS podium finishes, plus the 2023 GS world title and the 2018 Olympic GS title. Each race this season has brought incremental gains in confidence and timing, and her presence alone reshapes the race dynamic.
Brignone Returns to the Conversation
🇮🇹 Federica Brignone (ITA), the 2025 World Cup giant slalom discipline champion, adds another compelling layer to the Kronplatz start list. Brignone returns after suffering an injury at the Italian National Championships, a setback that paused—rather than derailed—one of the strongest Olympic trajectories in the Italian program. Coming off a dominant winter, she had firmly established herself as one of Italy’s most likely medal contenders for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.
Before the injury, Brignone delivered a dominant winter. She won 10 World Cup races last season, showcasing rare versatility across the speed-technical spectrum: three super-G victories, two downhill wins, and five giant slalom victories. She capped that run by claiming the giant slalom world title at the Saalbach World Championships, reinforcing her status as one of the most complete skiers in the sport.
When Brignone is healthy, she attacks GS terrain with power, commitment, and relentless pressure, qualities that translate well to Kronplatz’s steep pitch and demanding rhythm. Although she is untested this season, her return does more than deepen the field—it raises the ceiling of the race and adds another legitimate win threat to an already volatile GS season.
Top Seven — World Cup Start List (WCSL)
- Bib 1 — 🇳🇿 Alice Robinson (NZL) — YOB 2001 — WCSL rank 2
- Bib 2 — 🇦🇹 Julia Scheib (AUT) — YOB 1998 — WCSL rank 1
- Bib 3 — 🇳🇴 Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR) — YOB 1996 — WCSL rank 5
- Bib 4 — 🇸🇪 Sara Hector (SWE) — YOB 1992 — WCSL rank 3 — HEAD
- Bib 5 — 🇺🇸 Paula Moltzan (USA) — YOB 1994 — WCSL rank 6
- Bib 6 — 🇨🇭 Camille Rast (SUI) — YOB 1999 — WCSL rank 4 — HEAD
- Bib 7 — 🇭🇷 Zrinka Ljutić (CRO) — YOB 2004 — WCSL rank 7 — Atomic
🇺🇸 Stifel U.S. Ski Team — Women’s GS Starters
- Bib 5 — 🇺🇸 Paula Moltzan — YOB 1994 — GS season rank 7
- Bib 8 — 🇺🇸 Mikaela Shiffrin — YOB 1995 — GS season rank 5 — Atomic, Oakley
- Bib 14 — 🇺🇸 Nina O’Brien — YOB 1997 — GS season rank 14
- Bib 20 — 🇺🇸 A.J. Hurt — YOB 2000 — GS season rank 28 — HEAD
- Bib 25 — 🇺🇸 Katie Hensien — YOB 1999 — GS season rank 35 — SHRED
- Bib 30 — 🇺🇸 Elisabeth Bocock — YOB 2005 — GS season rank 29
🇨🇦 Alpine Canada — Women’s GS Starters
- Bib 10 — 🇨🇦 Valérie Grenier (CAN) — YOB 1996 — GS season rank 8
- Bib 17 — 🇨🇦 Britt Richardson (CAN) — YOB 2001 — GS season rank 16
- Bib 37 — 🇨🇦 Adrianne Forget (CAN) — YOB 2003 — Atomic, SHRED
- Bib 46 — 🇨🇦 Cassidy Gray (CAN) — YOB 2002 — GS season rank 37 — Atomic
- Bib 57 — 🇨🇦 Justine Lamontagne (CAN) — YOB 2004 — GS season rank 49
Why Kronplatz feels wide open
Kronplatz, like many World Cup venues, rewards all the giant slalom skills. With three different GS winners already this season, multiple athletes trending upward, and a dense start order at the front, the race resists easy predictions.
Scheib’s consistency, Robinson’s ceiling, Rast’s momentum, Moltzan’s reliability, and Shiffrin’s steady return all converge on one of the calendar’s most demanding hills.
The question for Tuesday is simple—and difficult:
Who will win?
Heini Pfitscher (SUI) will set the first run, followed by Walter Girardi (SWE) on the second.
Women’s Giant Slalom — Start Times and How to Watch
Saturday’s giant slalom takes place on January 3rd. Run one begins at 4:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 a.m. PT, with run two at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT. Fans in Great Britain can watch the first run at 9:30 and the second at 12:30.
- United States: Live and replay coverage on Ski and Snowboard Live
- Canada: Stream on CBC Sports
- Great Britain: Both races air live on Discovery+
Daily Program
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First Run Starlist women’s GS
About the Author: Peter Lange
