Robinson claims fourth career World Cup victory

Queenstown's very own Alice Robinson has claimed her fourth World Cup victory, taking the win at the Kronplatz FIS Giant Slalom World Cup, in Italy, overnight NZT.

It has been four long years since the 23-year-old has stood on top of a World Cup podium, with her last win in Lenzerheide in March 2021, and she was absolutely ecstatic to be back on top at one of her favourite race venues.

An emotional Robinson explained: “I am really quite speechless…it’s been four years since I last won and there were definitely some times in those four years where I wasn’t sure if I was going to win again, to be back winning here is so special. I’m just proud, the second run I just really wanted to be brave and ski on the limit and I am really proud of that."

As Robinson had expected, it was an exceptionally tight race. After the first run the top eight women were separated by less than a second. Robinson was sitting in 5th place, +0.49 seconds off the pace of leader Federica Brignone of Italy. Pushing out of the start gate for run two, Robinson knew she needed to produce something special to be in for a shot at the podium.

"I knew after the first run that I had a little mistake, and I felt like the last few races I have been missing that extra gear to push a bit harder and take a few more risks. In the second run I just really didn’t want to get to the finish and feel like I could have done more. I took a lot of risks and it wasn’t perfect, but it was fast."

Robinson immediately begun to build speed and increase her advantage, taking the lead by almost a second as she blasted across the finish line, posting the fastest run two time of the day.

With the fastest four athletes still to take their second run, Robinson sat with nervously in the leader’s seat. It was a dramatic final few runs, with Sara Hector of Sweden and Federica Brignone of Italy both recording uncharacteristic DNFs (Did Not Finishes). The two athletes who completed their runs were no match for Robinson’s lightning fast second run and she took the win today by over half a second.

Robinson was joined on the podium by the 2024 FIS Giant Slalom Crystal Globe winner, Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland in second and the USA’s Paula Moltzan in third.

Robinson will next be in the Giant Slalom start gate at the World Ski Championships set to be held in the first two weeks of February in Saalbach, Austria.