STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

PHOTOS BY JOHN BOYDSTON and KAREN BOSSICK

A bunch of New Zealanders flocked to Sun Valley this week hoping to see Alice Robinson become the first female Kiwi to win a Crystal Globe in the World Cup. They hoped it was a foregone conclusion, as she led Italy’s Federica Brignone by 20 points going into Tuesday’s Women’s Giant Slalom.

But Brignone was having none of it. After losing a Crystal Globe for the season Super-G title to Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland on Sunday, Brignone charged out of the starting gate perched near the Challenger lift’s mid-mountain station and went on a relentless tear down Sun Valley’s steep, technical course.

Federica Brignone was elated to win her second Crystal Globe of the 2025 World Cup Finals. @johnboydstonphoto

It wouldn’t be enough to beat Gut-Behrami that day. But it would be enough to beat Robinson, who had trouble with a gate in her first run, veering off course.

Brignone pumped her fists in the air in excitement at the end of the second run, which gave her a 60-point lead over Robinson. And, with the Crystal Globe in hand, she did a little dance before settling down once again to mouth the words to Italy’s national anthem, which seems to have elements of a march and polka at the same time.

Brignone at 34 is Italy’s most successful skier ever. But it was her rival Lara Gut-Behrami who clinched the Stifel HERoic Cup, a $50,000 prize for the winningest World Cup woman skier in the U.S. World Cup races, Stifel Killington Cup, Stifel Birds of Prey and Stifel Sun Valley Finals.

Robinson, who had missed the GS podium only once this season until Tuesday, went on to finish with the second most points accumulated over the season and Sarah Hector of Sweden, third.

Nina O’Brien signs a fan’s flag. PHOTO: Karen Bossick

Brignone was in second, 0.45 seconds back of Gut-Behrami after the first run. She closed the gap, to 0.14 seconds in the second race. But the race was Gut-Behrami’s with a combined time of 1 minute, 4.07 seconds. Hector finished third.

The new slalom course run on Upper Greyhawk, Hemingway and Lower Greyhawk provided a challenge for the women, with lots of thrills and spills. With temperatures heading toward 60 degrees, the sun-kissed slope sported a little corn snow that some of the women seemed to have trouble pushing through.

Paula Moltzen, the top U.S. giant slalom racer, lost a ski pole at the top of the course, but she managed to continue ripping her way down the mountain into contention only to crash through the third gate from the finish line and into the protective fencing.

That started a chain reaction with the next few racers skidding off course.

Norwegian fans are among a cadre of fellow flag wavers with flags representing everything from Albania to Croatia. PHOTO: Karen Bossick

Five racers did not finish the first run, include the USA’s Katie Hensien who ripped through the second gate from the end. Three racers were disqualified for missing a gate.

“It was very difficult,” said Nina O’Brien. “Steep, unrelenting, turn-y. You really had to ski the terrain. “But our team has been pushing each other this season and it feels like every race somebody is shine, which has been really cool.”

“I’d say it was really challenging,” added Lauren Macuga, who was making her first career world Cup start in the giant slalom after a DNF in the Super G on Sunday. “You can hear the radios up there like 25 DNF, 26 DNF, 27 DNF. I was like, okay, it's going to be a fight out there. I really just have to go. And then out of like the second gate I was, okay, I just want to make it down. I need to have a finish on this hill--that's all I want and, yeah, just to have fun. It was hard but I had fun.”

Macuga, who smiled and blew kisses at the large crowd after crossing the finish line, said she'd have to figure out the technical aspects of running Giant Slaloms. Then Macuga retreated into her star-spangled banner wear with her funky little hat.

Italy's Federica Brignone grits her teeth as she arcs around a gate. @johnboydstonphoto

“I’ve always been very American, and I think it’s just fun to show that side of me and have fun doing it. Anytime I come across anything it just becomes part of the outfit.”

AJ Hurt finished eighth with an electrifying second run and Nina O’Brien 12^th. Lauren Macuga finished 20th of the 29 racers.

“It’s nice to come away with a good result as we head into the next season,” said Hurt. “It’s also great to cap it off in America where we can race before family and friends and, hopefully, get more young girls excited about ski racing.”

The Men’s Giant Slalom gets underway today with the first run at 9:30 a.m., followed by the second at noon.

Swiss skier Marco Odermatt, who has dominated the World Cup circuit this year, has already wrapped up the World Cup giant slalom title. But he could add another giant slalom win to the 26 he has. Only Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark and Marcel Hirscher have more, with 46 and 31 respectively.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

9 a.m.-5 p.m. VENDOR VILLAGE at Warm Springs Base Area

9:30 a.m. MEN’S GIANT SLALOM RUN NO. 1 can be viewed from Lower Greyhawk Base viewing area (Live on Outside TV and Cox Cable Channel 4)

10 a.m.-Noon LIVE MUSIC BY CLIFTONITE ACOUSTICS at Warm Springs Base Area

Noon—MEN’S GIANT SLALOM RUN NO. 2 can be viewed from Lower Greyhawk Base Viewing Area (Live on USA & Outside TV and Cox Cable Channel 4)

Noon-8:30 p.m. VENDORS and FOOD TRUCKS at Ketchum Town Square

Noon –Discussion on ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEYS of FORMER PROFESSIONAL SKIERS like Lyndsey Dyer, AJ Cargill, Heather Featherman and Kelly Manzanti at Whiskey’s on Main.

2 p.m. ARTIST TALK Featuring BRAD JOHNSON: Landscapes of perception. Johnson will discuss his new film, “Terra Montane,” which utilizes photogrammetry and meticulously captured field images to journey into mountain landscapes and glaciers. The Sun Valley Museum of Art also is showcasing Johnson’s work in an exhibition titled “SNOW SHOW: WINTER NOW,” featuring works by photographer Catherine Opie and others.

2-5 p.m. WORLD CUP REBELS APRES MUSIC with G. LOVE, an American Hip-Hop Blues artist whose hit single “Cold Beverage” climbed the charts in 1994, at Warm Springs Base Area

4:30-5:30 p.m. TED LIGETY Meet and Greet at Brass Ranch River Run. Ligety, a former U.S. Ski Team member, is a five-time World Champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist.

5:30-7 p.m. Free APRES PARTY & SLALOM BIB DRAW at Sun Valley Resort Outdoor Ice Rink

7-8 p.m. Performance by 220 KID & FIREWORKS at Sun Valley Resort Outdoor Ice Rink

8 p.m. NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS MUSIC PERFORMANCE at The Argyros (tickets required)

10 p.m. LATE NIGHT at Whiskey’s on Main

PHOTOS

Wendy Holdener of Switzerland crosses the finish line. @johnboydstonphoto

Federica Brignone was elated to win her second Crystal Globe of the 2025 World Cup Finals and her her anthem once again, which seems to be a has elements of polka and march. @johnboydstonphoto

Nina O’Brien signs a fan’s flag.

Norwegian fans should have gotten a medal for flag waving.

U.S. Ski Team’s Lauren Macuga grits her teeth as she arcs around a gate. @johnboydstonphoto