# Federica Brignone Leads the Way in Super-G at Women’s World Championships
The 2021 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Meribel, France kicked off with a bang today as Italian skier Federica Brignone posted the fastest time in the super-G portion of the women’s combined event. Brignone led defending champion Mikaela Shiffrin by almost a second, with Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland and Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway coming in second and third, respectively.
This is a huge accomplishment for Brignone, and the start of what is sure to be an exciting week at the World Championships. Get ready for a thrilling ride as the athletes battle for gold in the combined event! In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the results of the super-G, explore the athletes’ strategies, and discuss the implications of today’s results.
## Federica Brignone’s Victory
Federica Brignone made a huge statement today with her victory in the super-G portion of the women’s combined event. She was able to find the fastest line on the Roc de Fer course, building a lead of 0.71 seconds over her nearest competitors. Her Italian teammate Elena Curtoni was 0.78 seconds behind in fourth place.
This is a huge accomplishment for Brignone, who is no stranger to success in the world of skiing. She has been competing in the sport for many years and is well-known for her impressive skills on the slopes. Her victory today is sure to be a confidence boost as she looks ahead to the slalom portion of the combined event.
## Mikaela Shiffrin’s Performance
Mikaela Shiffrin, the defending champion and one of the most decorated skiers in the world, posted the sixth fastest time in the super-G, giving her 0.96 seconds to make up on Brignone in the slalom. Shiffrin is confident that she can make up the time, as slalom is her strongest discipline.
Shiffrin has won six world titles and 11 medals in total from 13 previous starts at world championships. This is her first major event since failing to win a medal in six starts at last year’s Beijing Olympics, so she is sure to be looking for redemption this week.
## Strategies of the Other Competitors
The other competitors had different strategies for today’s event. A group of eight speed specialists used their run as practice for the super-G race Wednesday and will not start in the slalom portion. This includes Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia and two-time downhill world champion Ilka Stuhec.
On the other hand, Petra Vlhova, the silver medalist from 2019 and 2021, sat out the race to focus on her core events of giant slalom and slalom. The 2021 overall World Cup champion from Slovakia has struggled with health issues in recent weeks.
## Looking Ahead
The results of today’s super-G have set the stage for an exciting week at the World Championships. With Federica Brignone leading the way and Mikaela Shiffrin looking to make up time in the slalom, it’s sure to be an exciting race to the finish.
Be sure to follow the action as the athletes battle for gold in the combined event!
Source: abcnews.go.com