Smiles abound, and as energetic and enthusiastic as ever, Federica Brignone happily bounced around the Saalbach finish area, chatting with all interested parties about her latest World Cup victory and highly impressive season. Brignone claimed victory in the 11th and final GS of the waning World Cup season by 1.36 seconds last Sunday, March 18, amid rising temperatures and on a softening slope.

She charged hard, surviving a glaring mistake, in a race where Lara Gut-Behrami clinched her second overall title and first GS globe with a 10th-place result. Brignone was brilliant again, finishing second in Friday’s super-G finale, 0.28 seconds behind winner Ester Ledecká.