GEPA pictures/Matic Klansek

It was twenty-one-year-old, bib nine, New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, skiing with her trademark power, who was fastest after the first run. She bettered the Olympic Champion Sara Hector by (+0.06). and Sölden winner Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami (+0.08). Robinson is not a big surprise. The Kiwi has won three World Cups in her young career. All three women took advantage of perfect conditions to ski aggressively, putting themselves in ideal situations for the afternoon finale.

Seven women are within a second of Robinson. Among that elite group is Stifel US Ski Team superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, 5th (+0.23). Italy’s Marta Bassino and Federica Brignone are in 4th and 6th. Canadian World Cup GS winner Valerie Grenier (+0.54) was 7th and Slovakian Petra Vlhova (+0.94) was 8th.

“I’m actually so happy with my run. It took me a couple of turns to get into my rhythm, but then I think it’s actually the best GS I have skied on this hill,” the Stifel US Ski Team superstar said.

North American success

Shiffrin and Grenier were among five North Americans who finished the morning in the fastest 15. A twenty-year-old Canadian, Britt Richardson, starting with bib 34, delivered a fantastic run and finished the morning ranked 10th (+1.08). Stifel US Ski Team member AJ Hurt used her 37 start number to cross into 12th (+1.30). Additionally, Paula Moltzan, the former UVM Catamount skiing for the Stifel US Ski Team, was in a three-racer tie in 15th (+1.69) behind Robinson. The five North Americans, in the morning’s fastest 15 after the first run, were the cause of serious crowd excitement.

Racers with bibs above 30

Six racers with bibs above 30 qualified for the afternoon finale. Three were among the morning’s fastest 15. Two were the North Americans Richardson (CAN) and Hurt (USA)—notably, University of Colorado Buffalo skiing for Poland bib 46, Magdalena Luczak finished the first run 20th. Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutic, 22nd, was the highest bib to qualify; she started 50th.

Killington’s Superstar race venue offered perfect conditions for the North American World Cup season-opening race. The crowd was huge and the cheering was loud. Olympic Champion Hector was first on the course and arrived at the finish to what must have felt like a home crowd. However, it was Mikaela Shiffrin that the fans anticipated the most. By delivering a fast final section, she crossed the finish a mere (+0.17) behind the then-leader. The volume of the crowd was at 11 on a scale of zero to ten.

The other six North Americans, including Cassidy Gray (CAN), Mary Bocock (USA). Elisabeth Bocock (USA), Stella Johansson (USA), Sarah Bennett (CAN) and Claire Timmermann (CAN) could not qualify for the afternoon finale. However, Ski Racing Media celebrates Claire Timmermann’s first race in the World Cup.

Results of the morning’s fastest 30 and analysis of the fastest four and the North Americans who qualified for the second run

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Analysis of the fastest four and the North Americans who qualified for the second run