Federica Brignone by 30 and praise, first downhill triumph
Federica Brignone in triumph
A great Federica Brignone triumphs in the downhill in St. Anton, Austria to seize the first downhill success of her career, the 30th overall World Cup victory, despite shudders from the’insertion first of Ester Ledecka (+0″18) and then of the surprising Swiss Malori Blanc who makes her tremble by closing behind her by only 7 hundredths to thwart the first podium of her career of Laura Pirovano, fourth.
Brignone has a lot to celebrate at the Karl Schranz parterre, after a race faced on a reduced track because of the much snow fallen in the last days: for Federica è so accrued the third seal of the season after the successes centered in giant in Sölden and Semmering; instead rises to 73 the total haul of podiums, eight of these arrived in downhill. A victory that serves to improve again the record of longevity; almost 10 years after the first career success, Federica (born in 1990), confirms herself as the youngest ever winner in the maximum circuit.
A near-perfect run, for Fede: only a slight hesitancy in view of the’arrival in a downhill that saw her cross the finish line in 1’16″08 that allowed her to keep 7 and 18 hundredths of a second on Blanc and Ledecka. And in fourth place, there was Laura Pirovano: 43 hundredths of a second separated her from Brignone, on the day that saw her lose at the’last a podium that now seemed to be there. For the third time in her career, the 27-year-old from Trentino è fourth in the World Cup
Next up, in fifth is host Stephanie Venier who pays 0″51 from Brignone to leave behind an increasingly competitive Lindsey Vonn, sixth at 0″58, and her two compatriots Cornelia Hütter (+0″61) and Nina Ortlieb (+0″63). Nineteenth place at 1″15 instead for Elena Curtoni, with Nicol and Nadia Delago lagging behind at 1″42 and 1″43 followed by Sara Thaler at 1″48, enclosed between 28th and 30th; 39th at 1″99 then Vicky Bernardi, Falls without consequences after about 40 seconds of the race instead Sofia Goggia, too inclined in the left turn that leads to’Eisfall; out also Roberta Melesi for a line error.
Federica Brignone jumps to second place in the specialty standings with 129 points, seven less than Hütter, with Ledecka third at 100. Federica remains fourth instead in the overall standings where she climbs to 419 points, approaching Zrinka Ljutic, leader with 456 ahead of Sara Hector (447) and Camille Rast (433). On Sunday, January 12, the St. Anton am Arlberg stage is completed with the super-G: start set for 11:15 a.m.
