BREAKING : Federica Brignone becomes oldest woman to win Alpine skiing World Cup race

Italian Federica Brignone became the oldest woman to win an Alpine skiing World Cup race, overtaking first-run leader Mikaela Shiffrin in the season opener Saturday.

Brignone, 34, prevailed by 17 hundredths of a second over New Zealand’s Alice Robinson combining times over two giant slalom runs in Sölden, Austria.

She celebrated with a chicken dance and displaced Austrian Elisabeth Görgl as the oldest woman to win an Alpine skiing World Cup race.

Shiffrin, eyeing a 98th World Cup win, led after the first run by 22 hundredths over Robinson, then had the 27th-fastest second run out of the 28 finishers.

“I’m so happy and proud of myself,” an emotional Brignone said in the post-race interview. “I’ve been working hard during the summer, and it’s amazing to see that it’s paying off. I knew I had the potential, but to actually do it is something special.”
Italian skier Federica Brignone made history on Saturday, October 26, 2024, by becoming the oldest woman to win an Alpine skiing World Cup race. The 34-year-old athlete achieved this remarkable feat at the season-opening giant slalom event in Sölden, Austria, marking a triumphant start to the new World Cup season.

With a combined time of 2:26.49, Brignone edged out Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami by 0.22 seconds, while Slovakia’s Petra Vlhová finished third, 0.35 seconds off the pace. The victory marked Brignone’s 16th World Cup win and her first in Sölden since 2015.

The Italian skier’s historic win has also sparked celebrations back home, with fans and fellow athletes taking to social media to congratulate her on this remarkable achievement.
“Federica, you’re a true champion and an inspiration to us all!” wrote Italian Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malagò on Twitter. “Your dedication, passion, and perseverance are a shining example of what it means to be a true athlete.”

For now, however, Brignone will savor this momentous occasion, knowing that she has etched her name in the history books as the oldest woman to win an Alpine skiing World Cup race.