Alice Robinson Explained

Alice Robinson
Disciplines:Giant slalom,
Super-G
Club:Queenstown Alpine
Birth Date:2001 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Sydney, Australia
Height:1.63 m
Wcdebut:6 January 2018 (age 16)
Olympicteams:2 − (2018, 2022)
Olympicmedals:0
Worldsteams:3 − (20192023)
Worldsmedals:0
Wcseasons:7 – (20182024)
Wcwins:3 – (3 GS)
Wcpodiums:10 – (10 GS)
Wcoveralls:0 – (12th in 2024)
Wctitles:0 – (4th in GS, 2024)
Show-Medals:yes

Alice Robinson (born 1 December 2001) is a New Zealand World Cup alpine ski racer. At age sixteen, she competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in giant slalom and slalom.[1] She represented New Zealand in the giant slalom event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.[2]

Early life

Robinson was born in Sydney, Australia, the second of three children of Sarah and David Robinson. Her parents moved to Queenstown permanently when Robinson was four.[3] She started her ski racing career at Coronet Peak with the Queenstown Alpine Ski Team and also trained in California, United States, with the Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy based in Tahoe City during the northern hemisphere winter.[4] From 2016 to 2019, Robinson was coached predominately by former New Zealand Olympian Tim Cafe.[5] She attended Wakatipu High School in Queenstown.[6]

Robinson won the under-14 and under-16 New Zealand titles before beginning her international career.[7] She won the girls’ U14 giant slalom and parallel slalom in April 2015 in Canada at the Whistler Cup, one of the largest and most important junior ski races on the international calendar.[8] and in 2017 she won the U16 giant slalom and finished second in slalom at ‘Pokal Loka in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.[9] Robinson also won the USSA U16 national championship giant slalom at Snowbird, Utah, and was runner-up in the super-G.[10]

2018 season

Robinson was third in her debut FIS race on 30 July 2017 at Cardrona, then won the giant slalom the next day.[11] [12]

On 10 August, fifteen-year-old Robinson won the New Zealand Alpine National Championships for slalom and giant slalom at Coronet Peak.[13] On 16 December, she won her first North America Cup (NorAm) giant slalom race at Panorama, Canada. Her 8.70 FIS point result is the best any New Zealand skier has achieved in their first year of senior competition.[14] Robinson made her World Cup debut on 6 January 2018, in giant slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. She was 42nd and missed the cut to qualify for a second run by less than a second. Three days later, she won a FIS giant slalom race in Gaal, Austria, in which she scored 11.90 FIS points, ranking her inside the top 70 in the world at the time.[15]

On 28 January 2018, Robinson was selected to the New Zealand team for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, alongside alpine racers Adam Barwood and Willis Feasey. She became New Zealand's youngest-ever Winter Olympian at 16 years and 70 days when the games began.[16] At the Olympics, Robinson was coached by former alpine Olympians Tim Cafe and Ben Griffin. She finished 35th (of 81) in the giant slalom, the best result for a New Zealander in giant slalom at the Olympics in 38 years since Fiona Johnson and Anna Archibald were 30th and 32nd in 1980 at Lake Placid, New York. She failed to finish the first run of the slalom event.[17]

2019 season

On 27 August 2018, Robinson won the Audi Quattro Winter Games NZ FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Giant slalom.[18] The following week on 5 September, she won the New Zealand Alpine National Championships for Super-G, as well as two Australia New Zealand Cup Super-G races, held at Mt Hutt.[19]

At the World Cup giant slalom on 2 February 2019 at Maribor, Slovenia, Robinson was in 25th place after the first run, becoming the first New Zealander to qualify for the second run (the top 30 racers qualify for a second run), but failed to finish.[20] On 9 February, at aged 17, she won the European Cup giant slalom in Berchtesgaden, Germany, becoming the first New Zealand athlete to do so since Claudia Riegler in 2001.[21]

At the World Championships at Åre in Sweden in February, at age 17, she won the U21 category and was 17th in the giant slalom, having the fastest time in the second run. This was the best result for a New Zealand alpine ski racer since Claudia Riegler and Annelise Coberger.[22]

Less than a week later, at the Junior World Championships in Val di Fassa, Italy, Robinson won the giant slalom by more than a second, becoming the first New Zealander to win a gold medal in the 38-year history of the Junior World Championships.[23] She also finished in 15th-place finish in the super-G.[24]

At the World Cup giant slalom on 8 March in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Robinson was 16th in a 70-strong field earned fifteen World Cup points, the first in her career.[25] On 2 March, at the European Cup finals super-G in Sella Nevea, Italy, she was the runner-up, 0.12 seconds back.[26]

Five days later, Robinson competed at the World Cup finals giant slalom held in Grandvalira Soldeu, Andorra. She earned a berth in the event with her victory at the Junior World Championships the month prior.[27] At age 17, she made her first World Cup podium and finished second, 0.30 seconds behind Mikaela Shiffrin.[28] It was the first World Cup podium for New Zealand in over sixteen years, since Riegler took third in slalom in December 2002.[29]

Robinson was named the Otago Junior Sportswoman of the Year at the 2019 Otago Sports Awards. Her coach, Tim Cafe, was also named the Otago Coach of the Year.[30]

On 24 June, it was announced that Robinson was splitting from Tim Cafe, who coached her for the previous eight years, citing a need for World Cup-level coaching. Chris Knight and Jeff Fergus formed the International Ski Racing Academy in 2018 and are now Robinson's full-time coaches. Knight and Fergus previously coached the United States women's team, which included four-time overall World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn.[31]

2020 season

Robinson began the 2020 season ranked a career-best tenth in the world in giant slalom.[32] She won both the giant slalom[33] and the slalom[34]  at the 2019 New Zealand Alpine National Championships. On 28 August, Robinson won two Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) super-G races held at Coronet Peak. These results mean she holds the yellow super-G ANC bib for the 2020 Northern Hemisphere race season.[35]   On 30 August, Robinson finished second in an ANC giant slalom race and was awarded the Janey Blair Memorial Trophy for being the fastest finishing New Zealand female.[36] On 28 September, Robinson won the New Zealand Alpine ski racer athlete of the year award at Snow Sports New Zealand awards.[37]

On 26 October 2019, Robinson gained her first World Cup win on the Rettenbach glacier in Sölden, Austria, 0.06 seconds ahead of runner-up Shiffrin. This was the first World Cup victory in any discipline for a New Zealander in over 22 years, since Claudia Riegler in February 1997,[38] and the first-ever in women's giant slalom. She also became the youngest woman from any nation to win at Sölden.[39] It was later revealed that she won while suffering from bone bruising to the knee following a training crash. On 7 November, Robinson announced that this injury would prevent her from starting the next GS race in Killington, Vermont;[40] she recovered faster than expected,[41] started the event but crashed in the opening run.[42]

Robinson got her second World Cup victory on 15 February 2020, besting runner-up Petra Vlhová by 0.34 seconds in a giant slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.[43] She became the first teenager in 32 years to win multiple giant slaloms in a single World Cup season, last done by Mateja Svet in 1988.[44] On 18 February, Robinson became the joint world number one ranked skier in women's giant slalom, alongside Federica Brignone, Shiffrin, and Vlhova. She is the first New Zealander to achieve this feat in any discipline.[45] On 8 March, Robinson was fourth in super-G at the Junior World Championships at Narvik, Norway.[46]

Robinson won the Sky Sport Emerging Talent Award at the 2019 Halberg Awards.[47] For the second year in a row Robinson was named the Mercy Hospital Junior Sports Woman of the Year at the 2020 ASB Otago Sports Awards ahead of snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott.[48]

World Cup results

Season standings

Season
AgeOverallSlalomGiant
slalom
DownhillCombinedParallel
17
183444
19rowspan="4" 19
20443320
2131122531rowspan="2"
221241735

Race podiums

Season
DateLocationDisciplinePlace
2019 17 March 2019 Soldeu, Andorra 2nd
2020 align=right bgcolor="#BOEOE6"26 October 2019 Sölden, Austria 1st
align=right bgcolor="#BOEOE6"Giant slalom 1st
2021 7 March 2021 Jasná, Slovakia Giant slalom 2nd
align=right bgcolor="#BOEOE6"Giant slalom 1st
202425 November 2023 Killington, USA Giant slalom 2nd
20 January 2024 Jasná, Slovakia Giant slalom 3rd
align=right 30 January 2024 Kronplatz, Italy Giant slalom 2nd
10 February 2024 Soldeu, Andorra Giant slalom 2nd
17 March 2024 Saalbach, Austria Giant slalom 2nd

World Championship results

Year
AgeSlalomGiant
slalom
DownhillCombined
17
19
21 DNS SL

Olympic results

Year
AgeSlalomGiant
slalom
DownhillCombined
16
20

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alice Robinson . PyeongChang2018.com . . 11 February 2018 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180420013948/https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/en/game-time/results/OWG2018/en/alpine-skiing/athlete-profile-n3030415-alice-robinson.htm . 20 April 2018.
  2. Web site: 2018-01-27. Alice Robinson. 2022-02-07. New Zealand Olympic Team. en.
  3. News: Skiing: Young Kiwi skier Alice Robinson making giant strides. Chris. Rattue. The New Zealand Herald. 23 February 2019. 26 February 2019. en-NZ. 1170-0777.
  4. Web site: Is The Next World Cup Wunderkind from New Zealand?. Ski Racing Magazine. 26 February 2019.
  5. Web site: Is The Next World Cup Wunderkind from New Zealand?. Ski Racing Magazine. 26 February 2019.
  6. Web site: Plans go awry but Alice makes history. Roxburgh. Tracey. 16 February 2018. Otago Daily Times Online News. en. 27 February 2019.
  7. Web site: Alice Robinson » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 27 February 2019.
  8. Web site: NZ Athletes Victorious at Whistler Cup » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 27 February 2019.
  9. Web site: Gold and Silver for NZ Ski Racer Alice Robinson at Top International Youth Race » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 27 February 2019.
  10. Web site: NZ Ski Racers Ben Richards and Alice Robinson have Won Medals at Top Junior Events » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 27 February 2019.
  11. Web site: Is The Next World Cup Wunderkind from New Zealand?. Ski Racing Magazine. 20 February 2019.
  12. Web site: Alice Robinson » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 27 February 2019.
  13. Web site: Queenstown's Alice Robinson wins two national titles at alpine skiing championships. Stuff. en. 20 February 2019.
  14. Web site: Victory for NZ Ski Racer Alice Robinson in North America Cup Giant Slalom » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 20 February 2019.
  15. Web site: Alice Robinson Impresses on World Cup Debut. 12 January 2018. www.scoop.co.nz. 21 February 2019.
  16. Web site: Robinson selected for Winter Olympics. Taylor. Paul. 28 January 2018. Mountain Scene. en-NZ. 26 February 2019. 10 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190910040146/http://www.scene.co.nz/features/robinson-selected-for-winter-olympics/. dead.
  17. News: Winter Olympics: Skier Alice Robinson reflects on 'amazing' Olympic debut at 16. 17 February 2018. Newshub. 26 February 2019. en.
  18. Web site: Alice Robinson Wins ANC Giant Slalom » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 20 February 2019.
  19. Web site: Alice Robinson and Willis Feasey Crowned National Super-G Champions » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 20 February 2019.
  20. Web site: Alice Robinson Claims Europa Cup Victory » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 22 February 2019.
  21. Web site: Alice Robinson Claims Europa Cup Victory » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 20 February 2019.
  22. News: Kiwi ski racer Alice Robinson impresses at World Ski Championships with fastest second run in Giant Slalom . NZ Herald . 16 February 2019. 14 February 2019 .
  23. Web site: New Zealand's Alice Robinson wins the women's World Junior Giant Slalom. Ski Racing Magazine. 20 February 2019.
  24. Web site: FIS Junior World Ski Championships Val di Fassa (ITA). www.fis-ski.com. 27 February 2019.
  25. Web site: 17 year old Kiwi Alice Robinson has won her first World Cup points at giant slalom in the Czech Republic – 9 March 2019 – NZ Rugby news. home.nzcity.co.nz. 8 March 2019.
  26. Web site: European Cup Sella Nevea (ITA). www.fis-ski.com. 12 March 2019.
  27. News: Skiing: Kiwi Alice Robinson to compete World Cup Finals, then return to school. Brown. Matt. The New Zealand Herald. 16 March 2019. 17 March 2019. en-NZ. 1170-0777.
  28. Web site: Audi FIS Ski World Cup Grandvalira Soldeu – El Tarter (AND). www.fis-ski.com. 17 March 2019.
  29. Web site: Kiwi teen skier Alice Robinson wins silver medal at Alpine Ski Racing World Cup. Michelle. Prendiville. 1 News Now. en-NZ. 21 May 2019.
  30. Web site: Snowboarder takes ultimate prize. Seconi. Adrian. 18 May 2019. Otago Daily Times Online News. en. 21 May 2019.
  31. Web site: Skiing star splits with coach. Chandler. Philip. 24 June 2019. Mountain Scene. en-NZ. 24 June 2019.
  32. Web site: Robinson Alice – Athlete Information. www.fis-ski.com. 11 August 2019.
  33. Web site: National Championships Coronet Peak, NZ (NZL). www.fis-ski.com. 11 August 2019.
  34. Web site: Alice Robinson and Willis Feasey Claim Back to Back National Titles » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 13 August 2019.
  35. Web site: NZ Ski Racers Dominate Podiums at Winter Games NZ Super-G Races » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 28 August 2019.
  36. Web site: Robinson backs up her Super-G wins with a second place in a stacked field at the FIS ANC Giant slalom Presented by Coronet Peak » Snow Sports. www.snowsports.co.nz. 30 August 2019.
  37. Web site: Snowboarder takes top NZ award. 30 September 2019. Otago Daily Times Online News. en. 12 October 2019.
  38. Web site: Breaking: 17-Year-Old Alice Robinson Wins First World Cup. Ski Racing Media. 26 October 2019.
  39. News: Kiwi skier Alice Robinson makes history with World Cup win. The New Zealand Herald. 26 October 2019. 27 October 2019. en-NZ. 1170-0777.
  40. Web site: Alice Robinson Will Not Start in Killington. Ski Racing Media. 7 November 2019.
  41. News: Snow sports: Kiwi ski star Alice Robinson gets a chance to resume rivalry with Olympic champion this weekend. Brown. Matt. The New Zealand Herald. 26 November 2019. 30 November 2019. en-NZ. 1170-0777.
  42. Web site: Mikaela Shiffrin rallies for podium as Italy goes 1-2 in Killington giant slalom. 30 November 2019. OlympicTalk. en. 30 November 2019.
  43. Web site: 15 February 2020. Alice Robinson Wins Second World Cup. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200920173146/https://snowsports.co.nz/news/new-blog-post-12/ . 20 September 2020 . 20 January 2021. www.snowsports.co.nz. en.
  44. Web site: 18 year old kiwi, Alice Robinson, wins FIS World Cup Giant slalom. 15 February 2020. SnowsBest. en-US. 16 February 2020.
  45. Web site: Fis points details. www.fis-ski.com. 19 February 2020.
  46. Web site: FIS Junior World Ski Championships Narvik (NOR). www.fis-ski.com. 8 March 2020.
  47. Web site: Silver Ferns claim top honours at Halberg Awards. Michael. Burgess. ZB. 14 February 2020.
  48. Web site: Award caps off stellar year for Robinson. Seconi. Adrian. 6 May 2020. Otago Daily Times Online News. en. 13 May 2020.