(Reuters) – Italy’s Federica Brignone captured her second World Cup giant slalom victory in as many days at Mont Tremblant, Quebec on Sunday while Mikaela Shiffrin claimed her 143rd career podium with a third place finish in whiteout conditions.
Brignone trailed Olympic champion Petra Vlhova of Slovakia by 1.22 seconds after the first run but went on to prevail by 33 hundredths of a second over Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami with a total time of two minutes and 11.95 seconds.
The weather worsened as the race went on but 33-year-old Brignone, who on Saturday became the oldest woman to win a World Cup giant slalom, was more than comfortable in dark and snowy conditions that seemed to unsettle many others.
“I knew the conditions were really tough because you couldn’t see, it was snowing, it was windy,” said Olympic silver medallist Brignone.
“But normally in these conditions I am good. And I’ve been training the last month always in these conditions so before the race we said with my brother ‘ok you’re ready.'”
Vlhova, who was in position to capture her first World Cup giant slalom victory in 21 months after the first run, dropped to fifth place, 67 hundredths of a second back of Brignone.
Shiffrin, who was seeking a record-extending 91st World Cup win, had the second fastest time after the first run and trailed rival Vlhova by five hundredths of a second but posted the 18th fastest time her second time down and settled for third.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
