Industry News
14 years after first stepping onto the world championship podium, Federica Brignone finally seized the giant slalom gold that had long eluded her. The 34-year-old Italian delivered a dominant performance on Thursday, executing two near-flawless runs to capture her second career world title, finishing 0.90 seconds ahead of New Zealand’s Alice Robinson.
For the United States, the day also marked a breakthrough. Paula Moltzan, the 30-year-old American who has spent years battling injuries and inconsistent results, earned her first individual world championship medal, edging out Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund by just one-hundredth of a second to take bronze. It was a moment of redemption for Moltzan, who finished fourth in the team event earlier in the week. “I feel happy, joyful,” Moltzan said. “It’s been a roller coaster of a season with results and emotions, so for it to play out on such a big stage is really emotional.”
Brignone’s victory was never in doubt after she built a commanding lead of 0.67 seconds in the first run. The Italian, known for her aggressive yet smooth technique, carried that momentum into the second run, adjusting to the firming snow conditions as the sun dipped behind the clouds. Even as Robinson and Moltzan posted strong second runs, Brignone responded with an all-out charge to the finish, securing the gold medal that had slipped through her grasp in previous years. “Today, it was really my conditions, and I was able to keep my energy just for the race and be really aware and focused,” Brignone said. “I was stressed, but I managed to channel it the right way. It was my dream since always.”
Robinson’s silver was historic in its own right, marking New Zealand’s first-ever Alpine World Championship medal. The 22-year-old burst onto the World Cup scene as a teenager but had struggled in recent years with form and expectations. This season, however, she has found a new level of confidence after changing up her training and coaching set up. “I’ve felt so good on my skis all year,” Robinson said. “I was worried about the conditions this morning because they weren’t my favorite, but I think I’ve improved a lot. To get a medal and bring a country like New Zealand to the medal table—it’s just really cool.”
Moltzan, who had secured her first FIS World Cup Giant Slalom podium just weeks before arriving in Saalbach, continued her late-career resurgence. With her husband and ski serviceman, Ryan Mooney, providing constant feedback, she attacked the second run with aggression. Though she lost time toward the bottom of the course, she managed to claw back just enough to secure her place on the podium. “I knew I just had to go as hard as I could,” Moltzan said. “It definitely wasn’t perfect the whole way down, but I found that energy and aggression.”
Her medal adds to an already successful FIS World Championships for the U.S. women’s team, which has now secured a podium in every women’s individual event so far—an achievement not seen in 40 years. With Breezy Johnson’s downhill gold, Lauren Macuga’s super-G bronze, and the team’s victory in the mixed event, Moltzan’s podium further solidifies the depth of American skiing beyond its superstar, Mikaela Shiffrin, who was absent from the race due to injury.
The disappointment of the day fell to Stjernesund, who missed the podium by the narrowest of margins. The Norwegian was visibly emotional after the race, acknowledging the brutal nature of ski racing, where success is often measured in hundredths of a second. “It’s a brutal setting, ending fourth by a hundredth in a championship,” Stjernesund said, holding back tears. “But I was just so happy to see green lights because I’ve been in good positions before and not executed.”
As the races in Saalbach wrapped up on Sunday, February 16, Brignone’s win stands as one of the most dominant performances of the championship. With her experience, tactical precision, and ability to handle pressure, she became the oldest women’s Giant Slalom world champion in history—a testament to her longevity and adaptability in the sport. Meanwhile, Robinson and Moltzan’s medals signal the arrival of new contenders eager to challenge for titles in the seasons ahead. For Moltzan, who was once a slalom specialist struggling to find her place in the Giant Slalom ranks, the Bronze medal is proof of her persistence. “I definitely have an unconventional story, but I’m proud of every step of it,” Moltzan said. “It just takes time. I’m a bit of a late bloomer in the GS department, but I kept chipping away. And I’m lucky to have really fast teammates to ski with.”
