KVITFJELL – In a moment filled with emotion and triumph, Sofia Goggia, the renowned Italian alpine skier, placed the coveted crystal globe on the ground, lay down, and kissed the snow beneath her. This heartfelt gesture came after she secured a remarkable victory in the super-G event at the World Cup finals, marking her third win in this discipline for the season.
Goggia’s emotional response was evident as tears filled her eyes upon completing her winning run. Her performance not only showcased her skiing prowess but also underscored the dedication and consistency she exhibited throughout the season. “I had a really good, consistent season in super-G, so I think this globe is super well-deserved,” Goggia commented, reflecting on her journey. She added that winning the super-G title contributed to her growth as a “more complete skier,” following her previous achievements, which include four season titles and a gold medal in downhill at the 2018 Olympics.
This victory marked Goggia’s 10th win in super-G and her 29th overall in her illustrious career. Her success on the snow also heightened the competition among her peers, as Emma Aicher, another talented skier, continued to close the gap to overall leader Mikaela Shiffrin.
Aicher, who has proven to be a formidable competitor with multiple super-G wins this season, began the race 95 points behind Shiffrin. Despite finishing in fourth place, Aicher’s strong performance allowed her to gain valuable points as she pursues the overall title. “It doesn’t help me when I start thinking about those points. I have to ski well, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t,” she remarked, acknowledging the pressure of the competition while recognizing Shiffrin as the favorite for the overall championship.
Shiffrin, who has had a stellar career with five super-G victories and World Cup titles in that discipline, faced challenges this season, focusing primarily on slalom and GS events following two crashes earlier in 2024. In her third super-G of the season, she finished 22nd, falling short of earning points as only the top 15 finishers are awarded in the finals.
With just two races remaining in the season—a slalom on Tuesday and a GS the following day—Shiffrin holds a 45-point lead in her chase for a record-equaling sixth overall title. A race win is worth 100 points, intensifying the pressure on all competitors.
Goggia’s dominance in super-G was evident this season, as she could have secured the title with a sixth-place finish. However, she pushed herself to deliver a powerful run down the Olympiabakken. “When you have pressure, you have to handle it. I’m happy for the outcome,” she expressed after her victory.
The competition was fierce, with Goggia’s closest rival, Alice Robinson from New Zealand, struggling to maintain pace and finishing 2.41 seconds behind. Robinsen, who had previously shown promise with a season-opening win, found herself trailing Goggia by 163 points in the final standings.
In the race, former world champion Corinne Suter secured second place, finishing just 0.32 seconds behind Goggia, while Aicher’s teammate Kira Weidle-Winkelmann took third, trailing by 0.60 seconds. Goggia’s win was significant not only for her but also for Italian skiing, marking the third consecutive Italian victory at the finals that weekend, following Laura Pirovano’s win in the downhill and Dominik Paris’s success in the men’s downhill.
As the season nears its conclusion, Ilka Štuhec, the 2017 and 2019 world downhill champion, concluded her career with a final race. She finished 2.56 seconds behind Goggia, leaving behind a legacy of 11 World Cup victories between 2016 and 2023.
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