New Zealand skier Alice Robinson in Austria. Photo: Agence Zoom
Queenstown skier Alice Robinson has started 2025 on a positive note, with a third-place finish in the giant slalom at the latest World Cup event in Slovenia.
It is the 23-year-old's 13th World Cup podium of her career.
"I am really happy with another podium, it's great," Robinson said.
"I knew I could have done better on the first run - I skied solid but it was just too conservative.
"For my second run, I just didn't want to think as much and just wanted to attack and go for it, I think I found a good balance between pushing and being smart with the tactics."
The 2022 Olympic Champion Sara Hector of Sweden took the win by an astounding +1.42 after putting down two incredible runs.
Eighteen-year-old Lara Colturi of Albania finished in second place, with Robinson in third just a fraction of a second off the pace of Colturi.
Robinson's coach Tim Cafe set the course for the first run on the incredibly firm and icy piste.
Coaches will always set a course that plays to their athlete's strengths, and Robinson made the most of the opportunity putting down a solid first run which had her sitting in fourth position.
Robinson knew she had to give it everything for her second run and powered out of the start gate, pushing hard on the opening turns and skiing the course from top to bottom with her trademark aggressive and dynamic style, taking the leaders seat with just three athletes to go.
The firm snow conditions caused problems for some competitors, but it was just what Robinson was looking for and she made the most of the favourable conditions.
"It was amazing [the slope], the surface was unbelievable, a perfect mixture of icy but not too slick and it was super nice, it was great," she said
Robinson has finished on the podium three out of four times in the giant slalom season and is currently sitting second equal in the giant slalom World Cup standings.
Robinson will now switch skis and gears and will be focused on the upcoming speed races in St Anton, Switzerland next weekend.
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