ALTENMARKT-ZAUCHENSEE, Austria (AP) — Federica Brignone saw a gutsy run rewarded with the victory Sunday in the fifth women’s World Cup super-G of the season.
Racing in perfect, sunny conditions, the Italian gained about three-tenths of a second on her rivals with an attacking and risky approach in the middle part of the Kälberloch course.
While many racers posted faster times at the first split, no one matched Brignone’s pace in the turning steep section.
“I was really attacking from the top to the bottom,” said the overall World Cup champion from two seasons ago.
The top 20 finished within 1.04 seconds of the winning time.
Corinne Suter came closest with a strong finish to close the gap to Brignone to 0.04 seconds. It was the best result of the season for the downhill world champion from Switzerland.
Ariane Rädler was 0.17 behind in third for the Austrian’s first career podium result.
Brignone’s triumph came one week after she sat out a giant slalom in Slovenia with a knee issue. She worked with physiotherapists to get ready for the speed races this weekend.
The result marked Brignone’s Italian record extending 18th career win, and sixth in a super-G. It’s the first time Brignone has won multiple super-G races in one season.
“For me, it’s important. It’s an emotion. I have won before in my career but it’s always nice,” she said.
Italian teammate Sofia Goggia, who had a nasty crash in Saturday’s downhill on the same slope, started despite complaining about being sore.
Goggia also has two super-G wins this season, and the two Italians are clearly ahead in the super-G season standings, with Goggia leading Brignone by just five points with four races left.
“We have a strong speed team. We all come from the giant slalom, so we make good turns and super-G is a good mix,” Brignone said.
Olympic champion Ester Ledecka was six-tenths off the lead in ninth, just ahead of super-G world champion Lara Gut-Behrami, a day after the Swiss standout had won the downhill. Gut-Behrami is the only super-G winner other than Brignone and Goggia this season.