ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — New Zealand's Alice Robinson was already leading the Olympic giant slalom standings. Now she poses a threat in super-G.
Robinson won the world super-G championship on Sunday for her first career win in the event, which also made her the first New Zealander to win a speed event.
Robinson finished 0.08 seconds ahead of Romane Miradoli of France and 0.19 seconds ahead of Sofia Goggia of Italy.
“Crazy. I didn't expect this today,” Robinson said. “I always felt like I was holding back a little in super-G, but today there was no part of me that was afraid. I just wanted to do it.”
American standout Lindsey Vonn, 41, finished fourth, 0.27 back. On Friday in the downhill, Vonn became the oldest winner in the track's history. Vonn then finished second in another downhill event on Saturday.
“I’m a little disappointed in myself for not putting in enough effort,” Vonn said. “I was too conservative in some areas.”
Mikaela Shiffrin, owner of a record 104 world championship victories, missed the final gate but did not fall.
Shiffrin has not competed in a speed race since crashing on the downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, nearly two years ago. She is also still recovering from another giant slalom crash in Killington, Vermont, last season that left her with a deep puncture wound on the right side of her abdomen.
Emma Eicher, the German skier who won Saturday's downhill, lost control during a jump early in the race and fell. But she immediately stood up and appeared unharmed.
U.S. Ski Team coach Alex Hedlmoser laid out a challenging course that caught several other racers by surprise, despite clear, sunny skies creating ideal conditions.
Robinson won two of four giant slaloms this season, but never finished higher than fourth in a super-G.
She now poses a threat to two disciplines at the Cortina Olympics in Milan. Women's alpine skiing at the Winter Games, which runs from February 6 to 22, will take place in Cortina.
All six of Robinson's previous World Cup victories came in giant slalom.
Robinson moved up from third to second overall and is now 64 points behind Shiffrin.
The circuit now moves to France for a night slalom in Courchevel on Tuesday, followed by more speed racing in Val d'Isere the following weekend.
