Giant slalom in Sölden: Federica Brignone first winner of the season

(sda) Only Alice Robinson was able to keep up with Federica Brignone at the season opener in Sölden on Saturday, 17 hundredths behind. The Italian Brignone celebrated her 28th World Cup victory in the giant slalom. Mikaela Shiffrin had to settle for fifth place as the half-time leader on the heavily degraded slope. With 15,800 spectators, the World Cup Overture attracted a record number of spectators.

The best Swiss woman was Camille Rast in 12th place, followed by Michelle Gisin (22nd), who made a time-wasting mistake in the second run. Wendy Holdener, competing in her first race since her foot injury in December 2023, and Simone Wild finished 25th and 28th.

Lara Gut-Behrami did not start. The ailing woman from Ticino didn’t feel well and decided to forego the race after the race. She was not 100 percent fit and the risk of injury was too great, explained last season’s overall World Cup winner, who was affected by flu and knee problems during her recent preparation, in tears.

For Gut-Behrami, who was unable to train for three weeks in the run-up to the start of the World Cup, the season begins on November 30th at the second giant slalom of the winter in Killington. In the previous two weeks, the women had two slaloms in Levi and one slalom in Gurgl on the program. The speed opener will take place in Beaver Creek at the beginning of December.