Double win for Federica Brignone

Second day of races in Sestriere for the Audi Fis Ski World Cup characterised, once again, by an extraordinary public participation, an estimated 15 thousand spectators. It was like attending a concert, with music, lights and colours: the Kandahar Giovanni Alberto Agnelli Olympic track provided a magical atmosphere with choirs, cheers and claps accompanying the athletes’ descent.

Speaking of magic, Federica Brignone never ends to amaze. After her great win in Friday’s Giant Slalom, the Italian raced another fantastic comeback, from fourth place in the first run, to first accompanied by the roar of the Sestriere crowd. Federica beat Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami by 77 cents, and New Zealand’s Alice Robinson by 79. Fourth place for a rediscovered Sofia Goggia, who also roared back in the second run, recovering from 17th to fourth position with the second best run time.

‘I did everything I could to rest and recover from the flu,’ Federica Brignone said, ‘I spent six days at home without doing anything to recover energy. I really wanted to come to Sestriere and race well in front of my home fans. After the World Championships, I almost felt I had to do a good race and I am happy to have made it happen. Today we all encountered a bit of fog towards the end of the race, but I have to say that the slope was prepared really well by the local staff, the snow held and it is really nice to ski on such well-prepared tracks.

The athletes have been awarded by a skiing legend, Deborah Compagnoni who also returned, like Alberto Tomba, to Sestriere on the Kandahar slope that saw her triumph twice at the 1997 Alpine Skiing World Championships.

Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Sestriere gave the public plenty of moments of fun and show: among them was Andrea Casta’s performance ‘The Space Violin’ between the first and second run, which accompanied the launch of the Carabinieri Paracadutisti (Skydivers) Tuscania. 

On Sunday 22 February, the three-day Ski World Cup in Sestriere closes with the Slalom: the first run at 9.30 am and the second at 12.15 pm. The slalom will also be broadcast live on TV.