Austrian skier Julia Scheib is the standout competitor in giant slalom as she prepares for the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Federica Brignone, the reigning overall World Cup champion, has returned to competition following a nine-month hiatus due to injury. American skier Mikaela Shiffrin continues to make progress in giant slalom.
Scheib secured her fourth giant slalom win of the season, clocking a time of 2 minutes 19.85 seconds to claim victory. She overtook Camille Rast by 0.37 seconds and defending Olympic champion Sara Hector by 0.46 seconds. Shiffrin finished fourth with a time of 2:20.71, while Brignone placed sixth, 1.23 seconds behind Scheib.
Brignone expressed her satisfaction with her performance, acknowledging the challenges she faced after her injury layoff. Canadian skier Val Grenier finished ninth, trailing Scheib by 2.24 seconds, with Britt Richardson of Canmore, Alta., in 11th place.
Scheib, who had not won a World Cup race before this season, now leads the giant slalom standings by a significant margin of 139 points over Rast. Shiffrin, known for her numerous World Cup victories, has not reached the podium in giant slalom for two years.
Brignone’s return to competition marks her first race since sustaining leg injuries in April, which required extensive rehabilitation. She plans to skip the upcoming technical races in Czech Republic and focus on speed training in Cortina d’Ampezzo in preparation for the Olympics.
Italian skier Sofia Goggia had a mishap during her run and did not finish. Brignone aims to represent Italy at the upcoming Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, scheduled to begin on February 6.
Overall, the competition in the giant slalom event has been intense, with Scheib emerging as a dominant force and top contender for the Winter Olympics.