Robinson ends with silver medal

New Zealand skier Alice Robinson was stoked to end her season with a second placing at the giant slalom World Cup finals in Austria yesterday.

“I am really happy to end the season with another podium,” Robinson said. “This year I may not have got a win but I feel like the consistency in my skiing has been the best it’s ever been so I am really happy with that.”

The Saalbach silver medal marks Robinson’s fifth World Cup podium this season and the 10th World Cup podium of her career.

With only the top giant slalom athletes qualifying to compete at the World Cup finals, it was always going to be an exciting and tightly fought race.

It started well for Robinson, with the day dawning clear and sunny and a start position of bib two. With warm spring temperatures forecast, it was an advantage for the athletes who had a lower bib number as it meant they got to ski the first run while the course was still firm and rut-free.

Robinson, 22, was quick off the mark, with the green light through the first section of the course. She continued to keep her foot on the gas and maintained her speed throughout her entire first run. After run one Robinson was sitting in third, +0.85 seconds behind leader Federica Brignone of Italy.

Going into run two, Robinson was fast out the start gate, making quick work of the top three sections. As she came over the breakaway into the final pitch of the race, it was clear just how hard she was working to maintain her form down the increasingly rough course.

Robinson had done enough to claim the top spot and with just two athletes left to go she knew she had secured a medal, with just the colour yet to be determined.

Thea Louise Stjernesund (Norway) was no match for Robinson’s pace but run one leader Brignone (Italy) put down an exceptional run to take the win by 1.36 seconds. Stjernesund rounded out the podium in third.

Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami finished her fine season by securing the 2024 Giant Slalom Crystal Globe for the first time.