Federica Brignone won the women's giant slalom in Sölden (Austria), the first start of the World Cup season in alpine skiing, BTA reports. The 34-year-old Italian was third after the first run, but her experience helped her to produce a very good second run on the heavily rutted track to win in a total time of 2:16.05 minutes. It was Brignone's second win in Sölden after her debut giant slalom success in 2015 and her 28th World Cup career overall. With her victory in Sölden, Federica Brignone became the oldest women's winner at the start of the World Cup in alpine skiing, after surpassing the Austrian Elisabeth Görgel.
New Zealander Alice Robinson was second, who was second after the first run and kept that position after the second run, 17 hundredths behind the winner.
Austrian Julia Scheib is third, 1:08 seconds behind Brignone. Scheib had a very strong second run and led the standings for a long time, but ended up in third place and recorded the first podium of his career in an individual event at the World Cup.
Five-time World Cup winner Mikaela Shiffrin led after the first heat, but was unable to cope in the difficult conditions in the second and finished fifth, 1:21 seconds behind the winner.
Grand Crystal Globe holder and last year's Sölden giant slalom winner Lara Gut-Behrami did not start in today's race as she does not feel 100 percent recovered from a recent flu. Sunday is the second start in Sölden - giant slalom for men.