Italian Federica Brignone Conquers the Super-G at the FIS Women S Alpine Skiing World
Press release
Italian Federica Brignone conquers the Super-G at the FIS Women’s Alpine Skiing World Cup Grandvalira 2016
The first race of the World Cup has ended with Federica Brignone as winner in an unexpected result. She has been accompanied on the podium by the American Laurenne Ross and the Austrian Tamara Tippler. The three have praised the spectacular Àliga slope considering it amazing to run at full speed
On Sunday 28 there will be the most comprehensive race, the Alpine Combined which adds a speed race (Super-G) and the most technical race (Slalom), favourable weather is expected.
With this Super-G, Andorra keeps on the international map of the Grand White Circus.
Andorra la Vella, 27th of February 2016 – The first World Cup has taken place under a spectacular snowfall that has accumulated up to 30 cm of new snow in Grandvalira, and this has forced to delay the start of the Super-G, at 1.30pm originally scheduled for 10.30am. From 5.30am early morning and throughout the whole morning, 200 people of the southern Europe's largest station staff, led by Jordi Pujol, head of the race, have been working hard to ensure that the Àliga track was in perfect conditions to play the competition.
About 4000 people have travelled to Grandvalira El Tarter sector to enjoy first-hand the White Circus in Andorra and have vibrated and supported the racers from the stands and the finish area.
An unexpected result for Brignone
Italian Federica Brignone, specialist in giant is today at the spotlight of the women's Super-G. Brignone, who achieved her first victory in the speed discipline, has 12 podium at the World Cup with two top positions (1st in Soelden Giant 2015 and today's race). The skier has made a great race in which she has had the best time of 57s33.
The racer explained that starting among the first 10 has benefited her as the slope and snow were in perfect conditions. "I am very happy with the result today and I'm ready for the tomorrow Alpine Combined." And added excited: "In 2012 I already enjoyed the atmosphere in Andorra and today I have felt again the public support. Thanks for organizing a super World Cup.".
Born July 14, 1990, Federica accounts 100 points in the ranking of Super-G and moves up to the 6th position ranking the 8th overall. In her record, she has participated in 117 World Cup races, the Whistler'10 and Sochi'14 Olympic Games and two World Championships (Germany and United States).
Laurenne Ross, who has been second only 13 hundredths behind the winner (57s46) has won the second podium of her history in a World Cup after the second one in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2013. With this podium, she moves up to the 7th ranking position of the Super-G and 16th overall. In her career, the American skier (1988), has played 101 World Cup races, three World Championships since 2011 (Germany, Austria and the United States) and the Sochi'14 Olympics.
The North American skier explained: "I'm satisfied as how I have skied today and the slope and the snow was very good even if snowing during the competition."
On another side, Tamara Tipler, the Austrian born on the April 9th 1991, today got his second podium in this world finals 37 hundredths behind the winner (57s70). After this result, she is 8th provisional in Super-G and 30th overall. Tippler has participated in 32 World Cups and begins to write her own history in the speed disciplines.
Tippler has explained: I am very satisfied with my downhill and I liked the track. I found a compacted slope. It is the third time I am here and I have very fond memories of Andorra, as I was first in downhill at the the European Cup Soldeu El Tarter 2014 and 2015.
It has also been an expected result for the discipline favourite, Lindsey Vonn (USA), who after having set the best times in the two sets, she fell down just some gates before the finish line. Vonn is in treatment for the mild injury to her knee and looks forward to racing tomorrow to get the maximum points of the overall standings and thus, keep the distance respect the Swiss Lara Gut who follows her just a few points behind.
For Andorran skiers, Sissi Hinterreitner (56) and Sara Ramentol (59) this race at home has been their debut in the World Cup, where they could measure with their future rivals. When crossing the finish line, the two skiers were happy and thanked the public for its ovation.
A particular slope
The Àliga SG has been one of the chosen slopes to host two races of the Audi FIS World Cup circuit of this season 2015-2016. The launch of the Super-G has been given at 2,115 meters and the finish line was at 1715 meters, in El Tarter town and a total drop of 400 meters. Even with intermittent snow throughout the morning, a great atmosphere in the finish area of the stadium competition, has been lived.
With the Combined Alpine race the spectacular nature of this slope will be seen, as the Àliga SG intersects with Àliga SL, defining an "X" bird's eye view exactly like the Grandvalira logo. Both slopes, located in the area of Grandvalira El Tarter are approved by the International Ski Federation (FIS) and are very prepared for high profile worldwide events.
Public raffle of numbers
At 6.30pm on Saturday 27, the awards ceremony and the public raffle of numbers at the Ice Palace in Canillao, will be held. The three winners of the Super-G will be there to receive their deserved trophy.
Sunday 28th February schedule: Alpine Combined (SC)
10.30am: Super-G leg, Àliga SG track
1.30pm: SL leg, Àliga SL track
3.00pm: Awards ceremony at the finish area
4.00pm: Closing ceremony at l’Abarset, El Tarter, at the foot of the Grandvalira-El Tarter slopes
Grandvalira Press and PR: Grandvalira World Cup Press:
Irene CasasayasToti Rosselló/Mireia Escarré
(+376) 339 498 (+376) 891 818(+34) 670 763 555 / 678 036 949
ABOUT GRANDVALIRA
Grandvalira is the largest resort in the Pyrenees and in the whole of Southern Europe, with a total of 128 slopes -of all difficulty levels- and 210 skiable kilometres, combined with a large selection of restaurants and leisure activities. The resort is a regular host of elite international competitions, such as the Ladies Alpine Ski World Cup, which will take place in February 2016; the Speed Skiing World Cup, the 6th edition of the Skiers Cup Freeride World Tour and the Freeride Junior World Championship. In 2019, Grandvalira will host the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals, the most important alpine ski circuit competition in the world. Grandvalira is located in the north of Andorra, on the edge of the border with France. The space that it occupies belongs to two of the seven Andorran parishes (Encamp and Canillo) and it is made up of six sectors that were united to make up a single resort: Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter, Canillo and Encamp. Find out more information at