Industry News
Federica Brignone effectively clinched her career-second Overall FIS Alpine Ski World Cup title after a dramatic Super-G victory on home snow in La Thuile, Italy, on Friday, March 14. The Italian edged out teammate Sofia Goggia by just one hundredth of a second, with France’s Romane Miradoli finishing third, five hundredths behind.
Brignone, who grew up just 20 minutes from La Thuile, now holds a commanding 382-point lead over defending champion Lara Gut-Behrami in the overall standings with four races remaining. Her Swiss rival is unlikely to compete in Slalom at the 2024-25 World Cup season finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, making Brignone’s second overall title—her first since 2020—a near certainty. At 34, she becomes the oldest female skier in history to win the Overall World Cup Crystal Globe.
The Super-G victory was a moment of redemption for Brignone, who had finished in third the previous day and had missed out on a historic victory in 2020 after losing by one hundredth of a second to Austria’s Nina Ortlieb. This time, she came out on top by the same margin. “Five years ago here in La Thuile, I was one hundredth behind Nina. Ciao, Nina, all love for you,” Brignone said. “I lost the Super-G World Cup that year, so today it’s kind of crazy. It came back to me.”
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The result also vaulted Brignone to the top of the Super-G standings, five points ahead of Gut-Behrami. The battle for the discipline title will go to the final race in Sun Valley, Idaho. “There’s still a race to go, and I know Lara really well; she’s not going to leave me alone with that bib. It’s going to be a good fight, so I need to concentrate,” Brignone said. “I hope I can still have some energy to give in the finals and then we will see.”
Goggia, who also finished second in Thursday’s Super-G behind Germany’s Emma Aicher, acknowledged Brignone’s dominance this season. “One hundredth behind is nothing, but at the same time I am really proud to share the podium with her,” Goggia said. “She’s doing amazing, I think she’s on another level.”
Aicher had looked strong again on Friday but skied out after a mistake near the bottom of the course. Gut-Behrami finished tied for fourth with Swiss teammate Corinne Suter, 0.35 seconds behind Brignone.
Brignone’s victory in La Thuile carried added significance. She had long dreamed of winning a World Cup race at the resort where she became a Junior National Champion in Slalom in 2006. “This is an amazing day,” she said. “Winning in front of my people is something that I really wanted this year, it was one of my biggest dreams to win here in La Thuile. I couldn’t finish my career without it.” It marks her 37th career World Cup victory and 10th victory of the 2024-25 season.
In the American camp, Lindsey Vonn finished as the top U.S. skier in 13th place. “I think today was definitely better than yesterday,” Vonn said. “But I wish I would have been able to ski a little bit faster. I’m just right on the wrong side of the tenths today.”
Teammates Lauren Macuga and Jackie Wiles also finished in the points in 19th and 30th place, respectively. Breezy Johnson, Tricia Mangan, Keely Cashman, and Allison Mollin finished 32nd, 34th, 37th, and 44th, respectively.
With the regular season now complete, those finishing in the top 25 in the Downhill and Super-G standings will head to Sun Valley for the World Cup Finals later this month.
