Alpine Ski World Cup 2023/24: Lara Gut-Behrami seals overall and giant slalom Crystal Globes as Federica Brignone wins Saalbach finale
Brignone took victory from Alice Robinson and Thea Louise Stjernesund, but Gut's 10th place was more than enough to secure her first GS globe and give her an unassailable lead in the overall standings.
Alpine Skiing
Federica Brignone claimed her fourth Alpine Ski World Cup giant slalom of the season at Saalbach, Austria on Sunday (17 March), but could not stop Lara Gut-Behrami taking the GS crystal globe.
With a lead of 95 points going into the season finale, and only 24 skiers lining up - with Saturday's slalom winner Mikaela Shiffrin opting to skip the race - Gut-Behrami only had to complete both runs safely to secure the points required to seal the crystal globe.
Skiing conservatively, the Swiss was only eighth after the first run, 1.67 seconds behind Brignone. And she chose the same approach on the second run, going into fourth place with seven skiers to come, but it was mission accomplished as she celebrated her first giant slalom series crown.
Her 10th place also saw her take a lead of 208 points into next weekend's two speed races at Saalbach. Gut-Behrami cannot be caught in the overall World Cup standings and has clinched her second overall World Cup title after 2016.
Speaking to FIS afterwards, Gut-Behrami said, “It’s unbelievable. GS has always been so important to me. I was really nervous today. I really wanted to win it. Sometimes you just have to stay safe, cross the finish line, and to win the globe is just unbelievable.
“Not the best way to end the season, talking about skiing, but the best way to end with the globe.”
Brignone was in a class of her own on the day, converting a first-run lead of almost half a second into a victory margin of 1.36 seconds.
Alice Robinson of New Zealand was second with Thea Louise Stjernesund clinching a second career indlvidual podium finish in third. The Norwegian was mobbed by teammates Ragnhild Mowinckel and Mina Fuerst Holtman after crossing the finish line.
Mowinckel announced last month that she would retire at the end of the season, and Norway's two-time Olympic silver medallist finished eighth in the final giant slalom of her career.
There are just two races to go for the women this season in speed week at Saalbach. The Super G takes place on Friday with the downhill the following day.
Saalbach, FIS World Cup: Results from women's giant slalom, 17 March 2024 (top 10):
- Federica Brignone (ITA) 2:20.05
- Alice Robinson (NZL) +1.36
- Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR) +1.67
- Stephanie Brunner (AUT) +1.92
- Julia Scheib (AUT) +2.01
- Paula Moltzan (USA) +2.39
- Mina Fuerst Holtmann (NOR) +2.54
- Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR) +2.65
- Clara Direz (FRA) +2.83
- Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) +3.22