New Zealand skier Alice Robinson has secured her second straight women’s World Cup giant slalom victory Saturday (local time) at Mont-Tremblant, Canada.
The 24-year-old led after the first run and had a combined time of 2m 16.18s in the first of two races at the resort northwest of Montreal.
“I was a bit nervous this morning because the conditions here were so different compared to last weekend, so I wasn’t sure the good skiing from last weekend necessarily meant it was going to be good this weekend,” Robinson said.
“I’m really happy to roll it through in these conditions which were really tough today.”
Robinson has six career World Cup victories, earning her first at just 17, and won a week ago at Copper Mountain in Colorado. That victory made her the women’s World Cup victory leader among skiers from a non-European or North American nation.
She was one of eight athletes announced to represent New Zealand at the Winter Olympics early next year in Italy.
Robinson has six career World Cup victories, earning her first at just 17, and won a week ago at Copper Mountain in Colorado. (Source: 1News)
Elsewhere, Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia was second at 0.94 seconds back. Valerie Grenier of Canada was third, a second behind on her home course. American star Mikaela Shiffrin finished sixth.
“It was a big reaction, big tears in my eyes,” Grenier said. “I still can’t believe it happened. With my teammates jumping into my arms, it made me cry a lot.”
Switzerland’s Camille Rast (2m 17.39s) and France’s Clara Direz (2m 17.69s) rounded out the top five. Shiffrin (2m 17.83s), who was third after the opening run, posted only the 20th-fastest second run.
The course and the steady snowfall through the entire first run appeared to cause trouble for several skiers, including some of the favorites.
Austria’s Julia Scheib, who won the first giant slamom of the season and led standings entering the day, failed to complete her opening run, as did Sweden’s Sara Hector, fifth in the standings and the first out of the gate Saturday.
A second giant slalom on the same course is set for Sunday (Monday NZT), where Robinson will have the chance to extend her lead
– Additional reporting by 1News
