Goggia’s Triumph in Soldeu
In the picturesque setting of Soldeu, Andorra, Sofia Goggia showcased her remarkable skills by clinching her second super-G victory of the season on Sunday. This triumph not only added to her impressive resume but also reestablished her significant lead in the standings for the World Cup super-G title.
Standings and Points
With this win, the Italian skier has extended her lead to a substantial 84 points over New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, who is in second place, and holds a 116-point advantage over Germany’s Emma Aicher in third. This year, a single race victory is worth 100 points, putting Goggia in a strong position with only two events remaining in the season.
Goggia’s Mindset
Goggia, an Olympic bronze medallist in downhill skiing, expressed a measured approach to the competition, stating, “I’m still not thinking about it. I’m really thinking day by day, race by race. It was a solid run today; I got back the points I lost yesterday.”
This mindset came into play after her sixth-place finish in the previous day’s super-G, which had reduced her lead to a mere 20 points.
The Race
In a thrilling race, Goggia edged out Aicher, who triumphed the day before, by a narrow margin of 0.24 seconds. Norwegian skier Kajsa Vickhoff Lie finished just behind her, securing third place, while Robinson rounded out the top seven, finishing 0.94 seconds back.
Career Highlights
Goggia’s latest victory marks her ninth career win in super-G, and she is determined to claim her first season title in this discipline, adding to her impressive haul of four crystal globes in downhill skiing, with her most recent win in 2023.
Other Competitors
Federica Brignone, who holds the title of Olympic super-G champion, finished eighth but demonstrated a notable improvement from her previous day’s performance where she placed 15th and was significantly distanced from the leaders.
Overall Rankings
As the competition heats up, Aicher’s podium finish strengthens her standing in the overall charts as she closes in on second-placed Camille Rast from Switzerland, who currently has 963 points versus Aicher’s 914. Leading the overall rankings is American star Mikaela Shiffrin, who has amassed 1,133 points. Shiffrin has primarily focused on technical events this season, with her only speed race being a super-G back in December.
Looking Ahead
Fans will be eagerly anticipating Shiffrin’s return, scheduled for the giant slalom and slalom events in Sweden on March 14-15. The World Cup series continues as it heads to Italy next weekend, with two downhill races and another super-G on the agenda.
