'Just incredible': Robinson wins first World Cup Super G

Not content with making history already this season, Alice Robinson (NZL/Salomon) decided to create some more in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Robinson became the first New Zealand skier to win a World Cup Super G race, transferring her impressive early season Giant Slalom form onto the speed slopes of the famous Swiss resort.

The 24-year-old, who became the most successful women's World Cup skier from outside Europe and North America by winning in Copper Mountain last month, mastered the technical section of the Corviglia course to set up her victory.

In a brilliant ski up and down the mountain, Robinson finished inside the top five in all four timed sectors of the course to finish in 1:14.84 seconds, ahead of Romane Miradoli (FRA/Dynastar, +0.08s) and Sofia Goggia (ITA/Atomic, +0.19s).

"Crazy, I was not expecting this today," said Robinson, whose previous best Super G finish was fourth. "What a day, it's just incredible."

With a turny second sector that suited her technical skills, and on a course where she had had success before — finishing fourth in St. Moritz in 2021 — all the elements were in place for Robinson to thrive on Sunday.

"This is where I did my first good Super G run in a race," she said. "I feel like I've been on the slope enough to say, 'OK, you've got experience on this hill now, you know how it runs.'"

Robinson was so comfortable on her Salomon skis that she feared she might not be quick enough, a sentiment echoed by runner-up Miradoli but one that turned out to be unfounded.

"I felt amazing (during the run)," Robinson said. "Sometimes in Super G if you feel too good, it's not fast, but I think I had a really good mix of clean skiing but pushing where I could and letting the skis run.

"I always felt like I was holding back in Super G a bit (in the past), but not a part of me was scared today - I just wanted to go for it."

After the race was delayed at the start for some course work to be done to the Rominger jump on the lower section, an additional forerunner was sent down, creating uncertainty for the early starters.

But by the time Robinson and Miradoli went down with bibs 6 and 7 on another glorious day in the Swiss Alps, it was all systems go.

"I think it was a little bit easier than what I thought before starting, so when I saw the first two girls, I said, 'OK, you can push more than what you think'," Miradoli said.

The 31-year-old followed Robinson out of the start gate and produced a virtual carbon copy of the New Zealander's race, trailing her narrowly the entire way down the mountain.

With intermediate deficits of +0.09s, +0.03s and +0.10s, the Frenchwoman ultimately finished 0.08 seconds behind Robinson, but held on for second place.

"I had a pretty good feeling, just my start was a little bit bad," said Miradoli, who was bounced around a bit on the top section. "Then I felt really nice, even too nice because when you feel too good, sometimes it's slow."

Goggia was the next skier out of the gate and as in Saturday's second Downhill, she produced a podium with an imperfect run on what she described as the easiest St. Moritz Super G she has skied.

Surprisingly, the speed specialist bested Robinson and all but one other skier in the technical second sector, but lost her balance once or twice elsewhere and overcorrected on the Rominger jump to sail to the right of the ideal line.

"I think I had a really solid run but I know that I have a lot of gap and I can give so much more," the Italian said. "I was tactical, I had a good strategy, but at the same time I was breaking a little bit in some points. But it's a positive sign today."

After concentrating on Giant Slalom in the early part of the season, Goggia was succinct in grading her fourth-third-third beginning to the speed season.

"If I had to describe it, I would use solid," she said.

In the much-anticipated matchup between American superstars Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head) and Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic) in their first shared World Cup race since 2019, Vonn took the honors.

After coming first and second in the two Downhills, the 41-year-old lost time on the technical section and although she clawed some back towards the finish, she finished just off the podium in fourth, 0.08 seconds behind Goggia.

Starting with the unfamiliar bib number of 31 in her first Super G race in almost two years, Shiffrin put down a decent run and was heading for a potential top 10 finish before missing the penultimate gate and registering a DNF.

She will find herself more at home on shorter skis in Courchevel on Tuesday night, when she goes for her fifth Slalom victory on a row.

Click here for full results from Sunday's race.