Mar 25, 2025; Sun Valley, ID, USA; Federica Brignone of Italy in the second run of the women's giant slalom alpine skiing race in the 2025 FIS Ski World Cup at Sun Valley. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
SUN VALLEY, United States (Reuters) - Italy's Federica Brignone capped an incredible season by adding the giant slalom crystal globe to her recent overall and downhill wins when her second place at Sun Valley on Tuesday was enough after Alice Robinson crashed out in the first run.
Robinson came into the final race with a 20-point lead over Brignone, and aiming to win her, and New Zealand's, first globe, but the expected battle between the top two was over much earlier than anticipated.
Brignone won a second career Alpine skiing World Cup overall crystal globe on Saturday, also winning the downhill title, and this is the 34-year-old's second giant slalom triumph having previously won the globe in 2020.
The Italian was first out the gate, and while Brignone's time in a far from perfect run was immediately bettered by Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami, all eyes were on Robinson.
Robinson had already made some mistakes before losing her balance at a deep turn in the final sector which left Brignone needing only a top 13 finish to take the crown.
"I hope my head stays calm and I just want to race for the win," Brignone said after the first run.
"I would like to be on the podium again and that's my goal today."
The Italian began the second run in second place, 0.45 seconds behind Gut-Behrami, who won the super-G globe ahead of Brignone on Sunday, and was true to her word as she pushed for the win rather than playing it safe.
Brignone posted the best time in the second run, but ultimately fell short, finishing 0.14 seconds behind Gut-Behrami, with Sweden's Sara Hector coming third.
"In the first run, I totally messed up, but it was really tricky and not easy," Brignone said.
"When you attack it's easier, if you start thinking about points and things like that you hold it, I was holding a little bit, but I tried my best to win the race."
Robinson's sole World Cup win this season at Kronplatz, her first in almost four years, had moved her to the top of the standings, but Brignone, in her finest season, has been chipping away at her lead ever since.
After Kronplatz, Brignone was 100 points off Robinson. They faced off in February at the World Championships, with Brignone taking gold and Robinson silver, and since then, the Italian won the next three world cup races to set up the grand finale.
Brignone claimed 10 World Cup wins this season, with five of those coming in the giant slalom.
"A crazy and amazing season for me. It's just incredible," Brignone said.
"I never thought I was able to ski like that, like this year."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Toby Davis)
