Alice Robinson has continued her incredible run of podiums, taking the win on August 28 at the Winter Games NZ FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Giant Slalom race in Coronet Peak near Queenstown, New Zealand.
Robinson explained, โI feel like I skied smart and solid for the conditions. Itโs so nice to race at home at Coronet Peak and have my friends and family here. I enjoy having this pre-season warm-up race, itโs good to go through the motions and itโs special to be at home and sleep in my own bed!โ
34 athletes representing 14 nations competed on The Hurdle today at Coronet Peak. The Giant Slalom course differed slightly from previous editions of Winter Games NZ, with the athletes starting higher up at the top of the Coronet Express on the M1, with incredible views across the Wakatipu Basin from the start gate.
This higher start meant the athletes came in at pace to the big left-hand bend that launched them onto the formidable Hurdle, widely recognized as one of the steepest Giant Slalom slopes in the Southern Hemisphere.
Robinson, in bib 4, attacked the course and put down a blistering first run, taking the run one lead by -0.92. Australiaโs Madison Hoffman was sitting in second place, with 17-year-old Romy Ertl of Germany in third.
Robinson made quick work of run two, charging down the course and extending her lead, taking the win by -1.67 seconds. Ertl put her foot on the gas for her second run, skiing into second place overall, with Hoffman rounding out the podium in third.
Robinson was impressed with the competition, particularly from Ertl who put the pressure on the 10-time World Cup podium finisher.ย Ertl is a household name on the FIS circuit: Romyโs mother Martina Ertl is a three-time Olympian and two-time World Champion.
Wednesdayโs race had a star-studded list of forerunners, including 2023 FIS Slalom Crystal Globe winner Norwegian-Brazilian ski racer Lucas Braathen. Tommy Ford and River Ramadus of the USA also foreran the course, alongside New Zealandโs Toby Jackson.
The Coronet Peak race crew worked exceptionally hard preparing the course to ensure the best possible surface for the women. The men were originally scheduled to race today, but with challenging snow conditions pushing out the schedule after the womenโs run one, the priority was to get the womenโs second run away to complete the race and get a result.
Moving forward, The FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Giant Slalom race, which was scheduled to be held on Thursday, August 29, on The Hurdle at Coronet Peak, has been postponed.ย Coronet Peak is closed todayย due to overnight weather resulting inย the snowpack needing time to recover and dry out.
Friday, August 30, will be an action-packed day with the first of two FIS ANC Slalom races scheduled to be held, as well as the Snowboard Slopestyle Qualifiers at Cardrona.ย