Federica Brignone dominates the Semmering giant slalom
Fedeerica Brignone dominates Semmering giant
Federica Brignone dominates the Semmering giant slalom: the Valle d’Aosta woman dispels the tab that had never seen her on the podium in the Austrian resort, and she does it in the best possible way, taking victory number 29 in her World Cup career, her 14th in the giant slalom. Instead, the podium count in the top circuit rises to 71: and now è leads both the overall and the specialty rankings.
Leading from the very first run, the Italian champion literally dominated the scene in the second downhill, allowing herself only a slight slip in the final section of the Panorama slope to cross the finish line in 2'03"14 with an impressive fifty-seven hundredths of a second margin over Sweden’s Sara Hector and 90 over New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, third to complete the day’s podium.
An extra-luxurious version of a solid, stable and flowing Brigone who thus succeeds for the second time this season on the highest step of the podium after her success in the opening giant in Sölden.
Just behind, fourth place went to Canadian Valerie Grenier, 0"94 behind Brignone, with U.S. Paula Moltzan fifth ahead of Austrian Julia Scheib and Marta Bassino (+1"33), seventh as already halfway through the race. Clean test for the Piedmontese who is gradually regaining the right feeling between the wide gates.
Instead, Ilaria Ghisalberti, Lara Della Mea, Asja Zenere, Giorgia Collomb, Roberta Melesi and Elisa Platino had not qualified in the first heat.
The second success of the season allows Federica Brignone to jump to the top of both the overall and specialty rankings. In the overall, the Italian leads with 319 points, 18 more than Swiss Camille Rast and 50 over Lara Gut Behrami, who was ninth today. Brignone who thus takes back the red bib as giant slalom leader with 200 points, ahead of Hector (196) and Robinson (140).
On Sunday, December 29, the Semmering stage is completed with the slalom: first run at 10 a.m., second at 1 p.m.
