This article was originally published by Snow Sports NZ on 26 November 2023.
Kiwi alpine ski racing superstar Alice Robinson (Queenstown, 21) has claimed a second place finish at the FIS Giant Slalom World Cup held in Killington. This result marks the sixth world cup podium of her career, and her first world cup podium since March 2021.
Robinson said, “I am so happy, I was so happy with my first run, it was a bit unexpected. Then second run, I wanted to go for it. I definitely had a few mistakes that maybe cost me the win but it was so tight after the first run that anything could have happened so to finish in second place is amazing.”
The race today was held on the appropriately named ‘Superstar’ track at Killington Ski Resort in Vermont. Snow conditions were hard and aggressive and the steep pitch immediately out of the start hut required the athletes to quickly find and hold their rhythm.
Robinson (bib 9) had a blinder of a first run, and was the only athlete to clock a sub 57 second time. She flew out of the start gate, finding the green light in the first two sectors of the race. Robinson gained speed throughout her run, looking strong and calm as she made her way down the course.
Robinson was visibly ecstatic as she crossed the finish line and realised she had claimed the top spot, knocking Olympic Champion Sweden’s Sara Hector from the leader’s seat.
After a course reset, the top 30 athletes headed back to the top of the course to take their second run, starting in reverse order. As Robinson clocked the fastest run one time she had the advantage of dropping last, but the challenges of having a rougher course and fading light towards the end of the day.
The final five athletes ahead of Robinson gave it their all, either clocking incredibly fast times and jostling each other for the leaders seat, or going that little bit too fast and crashing.
Talking about how she felt going into the second run, Robinson explain, “I was a little bit nervous but I felt calm, I was just pretty excited to be in that position again and be in the position to be really mixing it for the top spots. I was more excited than nervous.”
Robinson put together a solid and gritty second run, throwing everything she had at the course. Robinson crossed the finish line in second position, +0.62 seconds behind winner Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), world number one, finished in third position on home snow.
This podium has been a long-time coming for Robinson and is the result of relentless hard work and determination from the 21-year-old athlete. It sets her up fantastically for the upcoming season and she will be back in the Giant Slalom bib at next week’s double up World Cup races in Tremblant, Canada.
Photo: Alexis Boichard / Agence Zoom
