Bassino claims first World Cup win with Killington giant slalom triumph

NEW YORK: Marta Bassino notched her first alpine skiing World Cup win Saturday, leading an Italian one-two ahead of Federica Brignone in the giant slalom at Killington, Vermont as Mikaela Shiffrin could only finish third. Bassino launched her day with an a acking first run of 49.05sec on a course shortened because of gusting winds at the planned start line. Brignone, winner of the Killington giant slalom last year, delivered a storming second run of 48.81 on the shortened course to challenge her 23-year-old teammate. But Bassino held on with a second run of 49.14 and a total of 1min 38.19sec to win by 26hundredths of a second. “I finally put together two runs,” Bassino said. “I tried to focus just on myself and to ski like I know how. “I saw the green light (indicating the best time) and it was incredible,” she added. “That’s when I realized I won my first World Cup race. Wow.”

US superstar Shiffrin, skiing in front of enthusiastic home fans, se led for third with a combined time of 1:38.48.

Shiffrin, who claimed her third overall World Cup title last season, remains in search of a first giant slalom win at Killington, where she has won three slalom races.

She’ll try to add to that tally in Sunday’s slalom -- and said her second run was encouraging. “I’m so much happier with the second run, so all in all a good day,” said Shiffrin, who a ended the Burke Mountain Academy just 100 miles from Killington.

On Sunday, Shiffrin will be in pursuit of a 62nd World Cup race win -- which would tie her with Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell for second most on the women’s circuit, a list led by now retired Lindsey Vonn’s 82.