GEPA pictures
Robinson Sets the Pace Early
Alice Robinson delivered the strongest skiing of the morning, attacking from the first gate and setting a time no one else could match. The New Zealander skied well through all four sectors on the Copper track, finishing in 59.03 and establishing complete control of the first run.
Behind her, Sweden’s Sara Hector used her Olympic-champion power to produce a fast, balanced run. She lost only small amounts in each section and sits 0.29 back. Austria’s Julia Scheib, the Sölden winner, is third at +0.60, losing her time largely in the second sector but maintaining podium-level pace.
Second Seed Surges
The next block of starters — bibs 8 through 15 — brought the biggest movement on the leaderboard. Germany’s Lena Dürr, typically known for slalom, delivered the standout performance of the seed, using the fastest opening sector of the entire field to finish fourth at +0.94. Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund sits fifth at +1.08, strong on the top and bottom but losing time through Copper’s demanding middle.
Canada’s Valerie Grenier, a two-time World Cup winner, skied with confidence and touch. She stayed close to Robinson and Hector for most of the run before making a costly mistake in Sector 3, yet still reached the finish in +1.11 to sit tied for sixth.
“The course was super fun, and it was a great set for this hill,” Grenier said.
— Valerie Grenier
Richardson, O’Brien, and Moltzan Deliver for North America
Canada’s Britt Richardson, 22, continues to build her reputation as a rising star. She attacked boldly, made one significant mistake low on the course, and still charged to 10th, just 1.26 behind Robinson.
Nina O’Brien, celebrating her 28th birthday, skied cleanly and confidently to finish 13th.
“The snow was perfect and the hill was really fun,” O’Brien said. “I wasn’t the fastest, but it showed me I can take more chances in the second run.”
— Nina O’Brien
Veteran Paula Moltzan brought her deep Copper experience into the run but never found the top-end speed she wanted. She crossed in 15th at +1.57, a result that hands her an excellent attacking position for the afternoon.
Shiffrin Struggles on Home Snow
Mikaela Shiffrin, the most successful women’s giant slalom skier in history, started well but steadily lost time in each sector. She crossed +1.74 and sits 18th, visibly disappointed yet appreciative of her home crowd. Shiffrin lives just over Vail Pass and received some of the loudest cheers of the morning.
Bocock and Moritz Bring Young Energy
The next Stifel U.S. Ski Team racer, Elisabeth Bocock, showed why she is considered a rising star. At only 20, she is already starting inside the top 30 — a meaningful accomplishment. She skied fearlessly through the first two sectors (+ 0.50) before a major mistake launched her into the air. She landed on her side and recorded a DNF, but continues to show tremendous promise.
Kjersti Moritz, skiing her first World Cup, also recorded a DNF, but only after strong, composed skiing through the upper section. From just over Vail Pass, Moritz celebrated her 21st birthday yesterday alongside her twin sister Liv. The two will race together in tomorrow’s slalom, marking a special milestone for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
Injury Notes Hit the U.S. Women’s Team
The powerful U.S. women’s tech team is missing two of its established GS talents: Katie Hensien and AJ Hurt. Hurt was seen in the finish area on crutches, dealing with a hip injury from a straddle in slalom training. Combined with yesterday’s significant injury to rising speed star Lauren Macuga, the team has endured a difficult few days.
Top 30 Qualification — Strong North American Presence
Five North Americans qualified for the second run:
United States (3):
- Nina O’Brien — 13th
- Paula Moltzan — 15th
- Mikaela Shiffrin — 18th
Canada (2):
- Valerie Grenier — 6th
- Britt Richardson — 10th
High-Bib Qualifiers Make Noise
With a wide gap through the middle of the field, several high bibs charged into the top 30:
- Vanessa Kasper (SUI), bib 33 — 17th, +1.68 (fastest high-bib racer)
- Franziska Gritsch (AUT), bib 40 — 27th, +2.33 (highest bib to qualify)
- Hanna Aronsson Elfman (SWE), bib 39 — 30th, +2.61
- Nina Astner (AUT), bib 32 — 23rd, +2.04
- Lisa Hoerhager (AUT), bib 35 — 26th, +2.30
- Clara Direz (FRA), bib 26 — 22nd, +2.03
The time spread among the top 30 was only 2.61 seconds, showing just how tight and competitive the first run truly was.
Looking Ahead
Alice Robinson and Sara Hector appear to be in a class of their own, but the chase pack is deep. Scheib, Dürr, Stjernesund, Grenier, and Richardson are all close enough to make the second run volatile. The Stifel U.S. Ski Team, despite a challenging morning, will start with three racers inside the top 20 and valuable attacking positions.
First Run top thirty results
Click images to enlarge
Run Analysis of the Leaders and North American Qualifiers
About the Author: Peter Lange
