‘Fighting’ Curtoni wins as Robinson keeps Super G Globe race alive

Veteran Elena Curtoni (ITA/Head) shrugged off years of injury struggles and indifferent form on Sunday to delight the Val di Fassa crowd with a third successive Italian win of the Audi FIS World Cup speed weekend.

With all the attention on teammate Sofia Goggia (ITA/Atomic) and those challenging her at the top of the Super G season standings, the 35-year-old Curtoni slipped under the radar to claim her first victory since December 2022.

And the local joy did not stop there, with Asja Zenere (ITA/Salomon) producing the greatest performance for her career to shock the field by grabbing third from bib No.33. The 29-year-old, who had just one previous World Cup top-10 to her name, finished 0.01 seconds behind second-placed Kasja Vickhoff Lie (NOR/Head).

While Goggia’s struggled with her set up and ended ninth, she remains in control of the Super G Crystal Globe race.

That stunning effort from Zenere pushed Goggia’s closest Globe challenger Alice Robinson (NZL/Salomon) off the podium. The New Zealander finished in a tie for fourth with Super G Olympic silver medal winner Romaine Miradoli (FRA/Dynastar).

This, combined with Emma Aicher (GER/Head) surprisingly skiing out early after losing her line on the first roller, means that Goggia and Robinson will fight it out for Globe glory in the final Super G race of the season, in Lillehammer on 22 March. The Italian now leads the New Zealander by 63 points, as both chase a first ever Super G Globe.

‘I knew I was not done’

Curtoni last challenged for Super G Globe glory back in the 2021/22 season, when a win and two podiums left her second in the rankings. But after following that up with another win and three podium places the following season, Curtoni crashed heavily in December 2023 and has found it tough to find her best since.

But after watching Laura Pirovano (ITA/Head) – with whom she shares a technician – fly to double Downhill glory on Friday and Saturday, the elder stateswoman was inspired from the start. Building powerfully into her run, Curtoni shone through the long, demanding course hitting 115.05kmph – the fastest speed of the day – in the final sector.

The fight was clear from a racer who had not even been on a podium since March 2023.

“It’s not always easy, I had a few days when I was not believing so much in myself but I knew I was there still with the fastest,” Curtoni said. “Seeing Laura being at the top was charging me. We work together. As a teammate I wanted to be as fast as she was. It’s been a few years I was not here standing on the podium, I had a tough couple of years but I fought my way back as I always do.

“I knew I was not done… I want to thank myself for not giving up.”

Globe races going down to wire

Robinson has not given up either, but was left rueing a slight lack of intensity on a course she later felt was there for the taking.

A 63-ppoint gap at the top means that Goggia knows that Robinson has it all to do to deny her a first Super G Globe, after four Downhill Globes. But the Italian was frustrated that her equipment had not allowed her to put more distance between her and the New Zealander.

“It was clear to everyone that in those days on the pitch I was really struggling a lot with my skis. I had no control over them at all,” Goggia said. “Luckily, I could contain a little bit the damage in the upper part but it was a different snow and then when I got into the pitch I found myself really in big difficulty to get the next gate. It was really tough.”

Elsewhere, Aicher’s failure to finish, allied to Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic) finishing 23^rd in her first race since her emotional Olympic Slalom triumph, means the American heads into next weekend’s technical races in Are, Sweden with a 125-point lead in the Overall standings.

‘Crazy’ times

None of that worried Lie or Zenere too much, with both women delighting in a podium place in the Val di Fassa sunshine – albeit for differing reasons.

For Lie, it helped banish painful memories of the last time she skied a Super G in Val di Fassa.

“I had my worst crash ever so it feels really good to be able to come back like this,” said Lie, who broke her leg in two places in the Italian resort back in 2021. “I actually forgot about it. It’s my first Super G here (since), that’s true. That’s actually really, really cool.”

The Norwegian, who is somewhat of a spring specialist, has loved watching the Italian crowd go wild for their home snow winners and cannot wait for something similar when the World Cup Finals hit Lillehammer at the end of the month.

Zenere is certainly hoping for much more of the same too. Sitting 43^rd in the standings before Sunday’s Super G race, the Italian found a previously elusive speed to send her already happy compatriots utterly delirious.

Ninth in the Giant Slalom in Copper Mountain in November was Zenere’s previous best on tour, while she had never done better than 20^th in any Super G race. But now she has broken through, the 29 year-old is ready for more.

“I hope to have other results like this,” she said smiling.

Joana Haehlen (SUI/Atomic) is one skier who will not be digging out anymore World Cup bests, the 34-year-old bringing down the curtain on her fine career with a 28^th place finish. Three times a World Cup runner-up, the Swiss star was happy to end it all in the Italian sunshine.

“To finish on a great course with perfect weather is a lovely way to go,” Haehlen said.

Check out the full results from the women’s Super G in Val di Fassa here, with the latest season standings in the race for the Super G Crystal Globe here.

Also, do please head to Reuters Connect and Actionpress.de to view and purchase a wide selection of photographs from this race and from all FIS events.