Source: Radio New Zealand
Robinson was quickest of 56 skiers in the first run on Copper Mountain. photosport
New Zealand skier Alice Robinson has ignited her season with a dominant win in the women’s giant slalom at the World Cup in Colorado.
Robinson was quickest of 56 skiers in the first run on Copper Mountain and was then equal-fastest on the second run to win by nearly a full second overall.
The 23-year-old from Queenstown has enhanced her status as a strong contender at the February Winter Olympics in Italy, where she will seek to add to the silver medal claimed at last year’s world championships.
She climbs to second on the World Cup standings behind today’s runner-up, Austrian Julia Scheib.
Robinson clocked 59.03 seconds in her first run, which was 0.29 seconds faster than Sweden’s Sara Hector and 0.60 seconds quicker than Scheib.
With the win, Robinson climbs to second on the World Cup standings. PHOTOSPORT
Last away in the second run, Robinson was slow out of the gates but accelerated through the middle stages of the race to ensure she wouldn’t cede her advantage.
“It was definitely a day of two different runs. The first one I felt in control and so smooth, the second felt out of control, like I was recovering the whole time. I was pretty shocked to finish first,” Robinson said.
“I was really not feeling that confident coming into this race, so I’m really proud to have followed my instincts today.”
Her overall time, 1 minute 58.91seconds, was 0.96 seconds better than Scheib, with Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund third.
The third leg of the 10-round World Cup is next weekend in Tremblant, Canada.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
