Alice Robinson
Robinson at Sölden in October 2019
Personal information
Born (2001-12-01) 1 December 2001
Sydney, Australia
OccupationAlpine skier
Height1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Skiing career
DisciplinesGiant slalom, super-G
ClubQueenstown Alpine
World Cup debut6 January 2018 (aged 16)
Olympics
Teams2 − (2018, 2022)
Medals0
World Championships
Teams3 − (2019, 2021, 2023)
Medals0
World Cup
Seasons7 – (2018–2024)
Wins3 – (3 GS)
Podiums6 – (6 GS)
Overall titles0 – (19th in 2020)
Discipline titles0 – (5th in GS, 2020)
Medal record
Women's alpine skiing
Representing  New Zealand
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Val di Fassa Giant slalom

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] On 5 September 2018 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
Age Overall Slalom Giant
slalom		 Super-G Downhill Combined Parallel
20191762—19————
20201819—5——3444
20211919—831——19
20222044—3320——
20232131—122531—
20242215—720—
Standings through 20 December 2023

Race podiums

  • 3 wins – (3 GS)
  • 6 podiums – (6 GS); 21 top tens (17 GS, 4 SG)
Season
Date Location Discipline Place
201917 March 2019Andorra  Soldeu, AndorraGiant slalom2nd
202026 October 2019Austria Sölden, AustriaGiant slalom1st
15 February 2020Slovenia Kranjska Gora, SloveniaGiant slalom1st
20217 March 2021Slovakia Jasná, SlovakiaGiant slalom2nd
21 March 2021 Switzerland  Lenzerheide, SwitzerlandGiant slalom1st
202425 Nov 2023United States Killington, USAGiant slalom2nd

World Championship results

Year
Age Slalom Giant
slalom		 Super-G Downhill Combined
201917—17———
202119—4———
202321—157—DNS SL

Olympic results

Year
Age Slalom Giant
slalom		 Super-G Downhill Combined
201816DNF135———
202220—23DNF——

References

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