American skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin expanded her commanding World Cup championship lead Sunday by making a strategic appearance in a super-G race in Italy’s Val di Fassa, while her closest competitor Emma Aicher of Germany crashed out without earning any points.
Shiffrin, who holds the record for most World Cup victories and is pursuing her sixth overall Crystal Globe trophy, placed 23rd in the race but collected eight crucial points that widened her advantage over Aicher to 125 points with just six races left across all skiing events.
The American typically avoids downhill competitions and has concentrated on technical events this season, making only one super-G appearance in December — her first in two years — as preparation for last month’s Milano Cortina Olympics. A single victory awards 100 points.
The super-G season championship will come down to a final showdown in Norway on March 22, where Italy’s Sofia Goggia holds a 63-point edge over New Zealand’s Alice Robinson.
Goggia secured ninth place in Sunday’s race while Robinson, now the sole remaining challenger for the super-G crown, tied for fourth alongside France’s Romane Miradoli.
“I feel confident. We’ve got one more race so I’m happy to give that everything, but it’s a little bit frustrating,” Robinson commented. She must finish at least second in the final competition to maintain any hope of claiming the title.
Goggia acknowledged equipment difficulties, saying: “I had no control over them at all. Luckily I could contain a little bit the damage in the upper part (of the piste).”
Italy’s Elena Curtoni claimed victory with a time of one minute 29.07 seconds, followed by Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie who finished 0.26 seconds behind. Italy’s Asja Zenere delivered a stunning performance, racing from 33rd position to capture third place and her first World Cup podium finish.
Aicher’s crash eliminated her from super-G title consideration, leaving her 145 points behind Goggia in the standings.
The triumph marked Curtoni’s fourth career victory and her first World Cup win since 2022, capping off a spectacular weekend for Italian skiers on their home slopes following Laura Pirovano’s back-to-back downhill victories on Friday and Saturday. Italian skiing legend Alberto Tomba was present to award Curtoni her winner’s trophy.
“I knew I still had it. But when the victory and the podium don’t come, then you start to ask yourself questions,” Curtoni reflected. “Today I was able to find that confidence… it’s very nice to be there at the front even now after so many years.”
