Italian ski racer Federica Brignone secured the season-long giant slalom title at the World Cup finals on Tuesday, finishing second in a race won by Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami in Sun Valley, Idaho. Brignone needed to place 13th or better to clinch the discipline crown and finished just 0.14 seconds behind Gut-Behrami’s winning time of 2:10.01. Sweden’s Sara Hector claimed third with a time of 2:10.81.
Brignone entered the final event trailing New Zealand’s Alice Robinson by 20 points in the giant slalom standings. Robinson’s hopes were dashed after veering off course in her first run, clearing the way for Brignone to claim the title. Brignone, who also secured the overall World Cup and downhill crowns, now holds the GS Crystal Globe with 580 points, ahead of Robinson (520) and Hector (447).
Despite the setback, Robinson expressed pride in her season, which included eight podium finishes in nine World Cup GS races. Meanwhile, Gut-Behrami’s victory in Sun Valley marked her 100th career World Cup podium, following her super-G win on Sunday. Canadian racers Val Grenier and Britt Richardson were unable to complete the opening run.
American skier Paula Moltzan faced a dramatic crash, losing a ski pole before colliding with a gate and protective fencing. Mikaela Shiffrin, a 22-time GS World Cup winner, did not qualify for this season’s GS finals as she continues to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder from her November crash in Killington. She is set to compete in Thursday’s slalom event.
Source: Swifteradio.com
