Mystery about Federica Brignone and Lara Gut-Behrami: if they both quit there would be an'incredible coincidence

Right now, two of the great protagonists of women’s alpine skiing in recent decades are stopped in the pits. Federica Brignone is reportedly about to finally return to skiing after a terrible injury last April at the Italian overall championships. Lara Gut-Behrami, on the other hand, fell the other day in training at Copper Mountain, Colorado, and there is no diagnosis yet on her condition, although a serious knee injury is feared.

If the rumors were to be confirmed, it would be the end of her career for the 34-year-old Swiss from Canton Ticino, wife of soccer player Valon Behrami, who is well known in Italy, since she has stated several times that this would be her last season. For the 35-year-old Val d’Aosta outfielder, on the other hand, after a return to skiing there would be the path to the home Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, which would be anything but easy.

Even Federica’s mother, Maria Rosa “Ninna” Quario, said in recent days that it would be better if her daughter ended her career at this point as a winner, since the last one, with the conquest of her second overall World Cup and giant slalom world title, was the best of her competitive career. Alpine skiing fans therefore tremble at the thought that two super champions like Gut and Brignone could end their adventure in the snow practically together.

If that happened, an incredible, and bitter coincidence would be realized. In fact, both made their World Cup debut in the same race, the Lienz giant slalom on the very distant December 28, 2007, when Federica was 17 and Lara 16. Both of them have thus, starting together, spent more than half their lives on the slopes of the Pink Circus, winning all kinds of trophies: only the Olympic gold is missing from Federica’s trophy case, for the rest there is everything, as there is everything for Lara.

Only the farewell race would differ, in the case of the retirement of both: for Brignone it would be the Sun Valley giant last March 25, when she was second, for Gut the Soelden giant last October 25, when she was third. At this time Federica has competed in 359 World Cup races winning 37, Lara 394 winning 48, with two overall crystal balls for each and several specialty cups. A haul that all fans hope will increase even more.