Italian skier Federica Brignone won the women's World Cup season opener Saturday in Soelden, Austria, after first-run leader Mikaela Shiffrin dropped to fifth.
The American posted only the 27th-fastest time in the second run of the giant slalom and finished 1.61 seconds off the lead.
Brignone defeated Alice Robinson of New Zealand by 0.17, while Austrian skier Julia Scheib trailed by 1.08 in third for her first career podium result.
Britt Richardson was the top Canadian finisher, ending up 2.54 seconds back of Brignone for 17th place. "That was for sure not what I was expecting," Brignone said. "This is incredible, for sure, Soelden is one month before all the rest of the season for me, so I will have to work hard, still.
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