Robinson stuns field in New Zealand National Championship GS

With racing action in the Southern Hemisphere well underway, the New Zealand National Championships began at Coronet Peak on Monday with men’s and women’s giant slalom.

In the women’s championship, first-year phenom and New Zealand native Alice Robinson claimed the second victory of her young career wearing bib 54, besting the field with a combined time of 1:50.99 seconds for a 14.90 FIS result, a slim 0.14 seconds ahead of runner-up and University of Denver student Storm Klomhaus. Swiss athlete Bettina Schneeberger rounded out the podium finishers in third, 1.31 back of Robinson.

“I’m really happy,” Robinson told Snow Sports NZ of her impressive win. “I came here today really wanting to claim the title so it’s awesome. Third position is a good place to attack from on run two, and I’ve been skiing well on the second runs so I was feeling pretty good.”

On the men’s side, the race was won by Slovakian World Cup skier Andreas Zampa with a combined time of 1:48.06. New Zealand’s Willis Feasey finished in second place, 0.98 seconds back and the Czech Republic’s Krystof Kryzl landed in third, 1.05 seconds off of Zampa’s pace. Dartmouth College athlete Thomas Woolson was the fastest American on the day in sixth place, 2.48 seconds back. By virtue of his runner-up finish as the fastest Kiwi, Feasey was crowned New Zealand national GS champion.

“I’m happy to take the title, but I really wanted the win,” he lamented after the race.

Day two of the series saw another FIS GS take place as Slovakia’s Barbara Kantorova took the women’s race with a winning time of 1:54.72 . Slovenia’s Neja Dvornik — another first-year FIS athlete — claimed second place from bib 54, 0.82 seconds off the pace and Anja Schneider of Switzerland was third, 1.43 seconds back. Fastest American honors went to Ski Club Vail‘s Allie Resnick, who charged from bib 48 to finish an impressive sixth in only her second FIS start, 2.97 seconds shy of the win.

For the men, Austria racer Magnus Walch took his first win of the 2018 season with a combined time of 1:49.35, an impressive 1.75 seconds ahead of Dutch racer Maarten Meiners in second. Zampa managed to find his second podium in as many days with a third-place finish, 1.92 seconds back. Green Mountain Valley School‘s Tim Gavett was the fastest American on the day in 11th place, 3.43 seconds off of Walch.

The series at Coronet Peak continues with the men’s and women’s New Zealand National Championship slalom races Aug. 10.

For complete GS results, click here.