Alice Robinson: GEPA pictures
Robinson Leads After First Run in Sestriere
Fast Conditions Set the Stage
A clear morning and a perfect race surface set the stage for Friday’s women’s giant slalom in Sestriere. The racers pushed to the limit, knowing only their best would keep them in contention for the afternoon finale.
Robinson Sets the Standard
Alice Robinson, the World Championship silver medalist, set the pace with a fast, aggressive run. She led the field in the opening and fourth sectors, carving powerful arcs and driving through the fall line. She lost a fraction of time in the second sector but carried enough speed through the middle and final sections to hold the lead.
Brignone Charges Late
Federica Brignone, the newly crowned world champion, sits 0.19 seconds back in second. She started conservatively, ranking outside the top five early, but gained time in the third sector and charged through the final stretch with unmatched speed.
Moltzan in the Hunt
Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Paula Moltzan, fresh off her bronze medal in Saalbach, holds third. She was explosive in the second sector, clocking the fastest split, but gave up time in the third and fifth sectors, preventing her from challenging Robinson and Brignone for the top spot.
Hector Stays in the Fight
Reigning Olympic champion Sara Hector was just over a second behind the leader. She lost time in the first sector but built momentum as she progressed, posting solid splits in the middle sections to stay in the fight.
Shiffrin Struggles in Return to GS
Today marked Mikaela Shiffrin’s return to World Cup giant slalom after injury, but she struggled to find her usual speed. She lacked the energy and confidence to challenge the top racers, losing time early and unable to regain pace. Shiffrin fell further behind in the second sector and finished 2.89 seconds behind Robinson. However, she secured an early start position for the second run, giving her a chance to improve.
North Americans in the Hunt
After Moltzan, Britt Richardson led the rest of the North American charge, finishing seventh at 1.58 seconds back. The Canadian opened strong with the second-fastest split in the first sector but lost time in the middle before regaining speed toward the finish.
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team placed two more skiers in the top 15. Nina O’Brien skied into eighth, just 0.02 behind Richardson. She started well but struggled slightly in the second sector before regaining her speed in the lower sections. AJ Hurt, continuing her return to top form, finished 11th, 1.85 seconds back. She carried speed through the top but lost time in the fourth sector, keeping her just outside the top 10.
Grenier Still Searching for Speed
Valérie Grenier’s struggles from the World Championships carried into Friday’s giant slalom in Sestriere. Unable to find her winning form, she lost time through the middle of the course and finished the morning 15th, 2.38 seconds off the lead. A strong final push helped limit the damage, but she will need a big second run to move up the standings.
Two More U.S. Skiers Make the Cut
Two other Stifel U.S. Ski Team members secured spots in the second run. Katie Hensien continued her consistent qualification streak, finishing 27th at 3.36 seconds back. She lost time early but skied well in the final sectors to secure a second run.
Elisabeth Bocock, who will compete at the Junior World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy, qualified for the second run for just the second time in her career. She was 28th fastest, 3.40 seconds off the lead, with a strong opening sector helping her earn a spot in the afternoon finale.
Tight Qualification Battle for Second Run
After the first 30 skiers completed their morning runs, only two failed to finish, leaving limited spots for later starters to break into the top 30. Every hundredth of a second mattered, but with a 3.91-second gap from first to 30th, strong skiing could still earn a place in the second run.
Three later starters delivered when it counted. The fastest was Elisabeth Bocock (USA), who finished 28th, 3.40 seconds back. The highest bib to qualify was Switzerland’s Vanessa Kasper, who started 37th and placed 29th, 3.61 seconds behind Robinson. The final time spread among the 30 qualifiers was 3.80 seconds.
Second Run Set for an Exciting Showdown
With just 0.19 seconds separating Robinson and Brignone, the afternoon run promises an intense battle for victory. Robinson will look to defend her lead, while Brignone, skiing on home snow, has momentum on her side after a strong second half in the first run.
Moltzan is in a prime position to fight for her second World Cup GS podium, but she will need a near-flawless second run to hold off the charging field. Just over a second back, Hector has the experience and speed to make a move, while several North Americans, including Richardson, O’Brien and Hurt, will be looking to climb the leaderboard.
Further down the order, Shiffrin has an early second-run start, giving her a chance to set the pace and make up ground. Meanwhile, qualifiers like Hensien, Bocock, and Kasper will aim to take advantage of the conditions and push for valuable World Cup points.
With a tight leaderboard and fast conditions, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion in Sestriere.
North Americans
Top 30 First-Run Results with Analysis of the Fastest Three and North American Qualifiers
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Analysis of the Fastest Three and North American Qualifiers
About the Author: Peter Lange
