NZ Ski Racer Alice Robinson Impresses at World Champs with Fastest Second Run in Giant Slalom

Are, Sweden (14 February 2019) – 17-year-old ski racer Alice Robinson (Queenstown) has posted an impressive result at the FIS World Ski Championships in Are, Sweden, with the fastest time in the second run of the ladies’ Giant Slalom, 17^th overall and first place amongst junior (u21) racers.

Starting from bib 38, Robinson was placed 30^th after run one which meant that she would be first out of the gate on the second run (in alpine ski racing the start order for the top 30 racers after run one is flipped for run two).  Robinson made the most of the opportunity, setting a blistering time of 1:00.57 that no one else could beat. Overall racer winner Petra Vlhova (SVK) was third fastest on run two in a time of 1:00.87.

The World Championships silver medal went to Viktoria Rebensburg (GER) with world number one Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) claiming bronze.

"My goals for today were to execute good skiing and make the top 30 for the second run and see where that could take me," said Robinson. "I was hoping for a top 30 in the overall rankings and I was so happy to have the fastest second run!

"It wasn’t easy conditions and first run I was able to ski as well as I could because of the conditions so I knew running first I had to take the opportunity to put down my best skiing due to me having the cleanest course. So I was super happy that I was able to take full advantage of the opportunity.

"I’m feeling super excited about world juniors and I am just wanting to ski the way I can and hopefully some results will follow."

Fastest of the U21 racers, Robinson’s result today signals that she is on track for a strong performance at the Junior World Championships which get underway in Val di Fassa, Italy next week (18 February).

Robinson currently holds the world number one ranking for U18 ladies’ Giant Slalom and second in U21. Her World Championship result signals that she is tracking in the footsteps of New Zealand’s alpine ski racing heroes including Claudia Riegler who placed fourth in Slalom at the 1996 World Champs and 16^th in 2003, and Annelise Coberger who placed 13^th in Alpine Combined at the 1991 World Champs.

NZ’s Eliza Grigg finished 46^th in today’s World Championship Giant Slalom. Piera Hudson was 38th after run one, was tracking towards 31st after the second split on run two but recorded a DNF. Adam Barwood and Willis Feasey are scheduled to compete in the men’s Giant Slalom tonight (NZT).

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