Italian alpine ski star Sofia Goggia delivered a commanding performance in the final super-G race of the season held at Kvitfjell on Sunday, securing her very first crystal globe in this discipline. This victory not only adds to her illustrious career but also marks a significant milestone as she expands her dominance beyond downhill events. Goggia, who has already amassed four downhill crystal globes, demonstrated her exceptional versatility and consistency by conquering the super-G field and claiming her 10th career win in this category, bringing her total World Cup victories to an impressive 29.
Starting eighth, Goggia navigated the challenging course with remarkable precision and speed, finishing 0.32 seconds ahead of Swiss competitor Corinne Suter. German skier Kira Weidle-Winkelmann rounded out the podium, securing third place. This triumph represents Goggia’s third super-G win this season, a campaign highlighted by two additional podium finishes and top-10 placements in all eight super-G races she contested. Her steady form throughout the season underlines her status as one of the most complete speed skiers on the circuit.
Reflecting on her achievement, Goggia expressed a sense of fulfillment, emphasizing the importance of excelling in both downhill and super-G to be considered a well-rounded speed specialist. “To be a complete speed skier, you need to claim both the downhill and super-G globes, and today I finally achieved that,” she remarked. Her consistency and determination throughout the season made this victory well deserved, cementing her place among the elite in alpine skiing.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, the only skier with a mathematical chance of overtaking Goggia in the super-G standings, finished 16th and fell short of scoring points in the final race. Despite this, Robinson concluded the season on a high note, securing second place overall in the super-G rankings, trailing Goggia by 163 points. Robinson acknowledged her progress from 17th place last year to runner-up this season, while also recognizing areas for improvement to become a more complete super-G competitor.
The weekend proved especially fruitful for Italian women, as Laura Pirovano had already clinched the women’s downhill World Cup title the day before, showcasing Italy’s strength in speed events this season. This dual success highlights the depth and talent present in the Italian women’s alpine skiing team.
In the overall World Cup standings, German skier Emma Aicher made significant strides by finishing fourth in Kvitfjell, closing the gap to American star Mikaela Shiffrin to just 45 points. Shiffrin, who placed 22nd and failed to add to her points tally, now faces mounting pressure as the competition intensifies. Aicher narrowly missed a podium finish by a mere 0.001 seconds, coming just behind her compatriot Weidle-Winkelmann, which would have further reduced the deficit.
The battle for the overall World Cup title remains wide open and is set to reach a thrilling conclusion with the upcoming giant slalom on Tuesday and slalom on Wednesday. Aicher remains focused on her skiing rather than the standings, adopting a measured approach to the high-stakes finale.
Adding a poignant note to the weekend, Slovenian veteran Ilka Stuhec marked her 252nd and final World Cup start. The 35-year-old, who finished 18th in the race, celebrated the end of a remarkable career that began in 2007. Stuhec’s achievements include 11 World Cup victories and two crystal globes, having won the downhill and combined titles in 2017. She also earned downhill gold medals at the World Championships in 2017 and 2019, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and resilience in alpine skiing.
