KVITFJELL, Norway (AP) – Sofia Goggia celebrated an emotional victory on Sunday by winning her third super-G of the season at the World Cup finals, thereby securing the discipline title.
The Italian skier expressed her joy by placing the crystal globe on the ground and kissing the snow after completing her winning run.
Goggia’s triumph marks her 10th super-G win and 29th overall, solidifying her status as a leading figure in the sport. Meanwhile, Emma Aicher made significant strides in the overall standings, closing the gap on leader Mikaela Shiffrin during the same event.
Goggia’s Dominance in Super-G
In an impressive display of skill, Goggia’s victory was a culmination of a consistent season in super-G, which she deemed ‘super well-deserved.’ This title adds to her accolades, including four previous season titles and a gold medal in downhill from the 2018 Olympics.
Goggia’s commanding lead in the standings meant that she only needed a sixth-place finish to secure the title, yet she opted for a bold approach, delivering a gutsy performance on the Olympiabakken. ‘When you have pressure, you have to handle it. I’m happy for the outcome,’ Goggia stated.
Aicher’s Pursuit of Overall Title
Emma Aicher, who has emerged as a formidable competitor this season, further narrowed the gap to overall leader Shiffrin by placing fourth in the race, earning 50 points. Starting the event 95 points behind Shiffrin, Aicher noted, ‘It doesn’t help me when I start thinking about those points. I have to ski well, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.’
Despite her strong performance, Aicher acknowledged Shiffrin as the favorite for the overall title, reflecting on her progress this season, ‘I have done so much right this year already that the rest will only be a bonus.’
Shiffrin’s Performance and Upcoming Challenges
Mikaela Shiffrin, racing in her third super-G this season, finished 22nd, 2.78 seconds off the pace, and did not accumulate points as only the top 15 earn points in this final event. Shiffrin maintains a 45-point lead over Aicher heading into the final two races of the season, a slalom on Tuesday and a giant slalom the following day.
Shiffrin’s fiancé, former overall champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, attended the finals but did not compete due to ongoing recovery from a shoulder injury. Shiffrin has historically excelled in super-G, having won five events in her career and securing both World Cup and world titles in the discipline in 2019.
Final Standings and Other Highlights
Goggia’s performance was complemented by her nearest competitor, New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, who struggled with costly mistakes, finishing 2.41 seconds behind Goggia. Robinson, who had previously won the season opener, ended the season trailing Goggia by 163 points in the final standings.
In a noteworthy display of Italian dominance at the finals, Goggia’s victory marked the third win for Italy in three races this weekend, following Laura Pirovano’s downhill victory and Dominik Paris’s win in the men’s downhill. Former world champion Ilka Štuhec concluded her career with a commendable performance, finishing her last race 2.56 seconds behind Goggia.