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Italian ski stars Goggia and Brignone to miss season opener / Photo: © AFP
Italian ski stars Goggia and Brignone to miss season opener
Italian ski stars Sofia Goggia and Federica Brignone will miss the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria on October 24, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) announced on Wednesday.
Goggia, 33, the super-G World Cup holder, saw her summer preparation severely disrupted by two viruses, including chikungunya.
The Olympic bronze medalist in the downhill at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games had to cut short her South American training camp this summer to return to Italy.
"I started feeling particularly severe, intense, and strange joint pain," explained the 2018 Olympic downhill champion. "I couldn't even climb the stairs."
Brignone, 36, won the Olympic super-G and giant slalom following a gruelling race against time to recover from a severe injury, had to undergo further surgery on her left knee in late August to remove the plates inserted to stabilise her fracture.
"I would have liked to do the whole season, because you need a certain level for the world championships," said Brignone of preparations for the world event at Crans-Montana, Switzerland from February 1–14 next.
"Now I have to get back on skis; if I feel better in speed events, I'll do speed, and if the turns go well, then there's the giant slalom," she added.
Italy's Marta Bassino, the 2021 giant slalom World Cup winner who missed last season due to injury, will make her return to the slopes at Soelden.
The women's World Cup season is scheduled to open with the traditional giant slaloms on the glacier in the Austrian resort on October 24-25.
The first downhill and super-G are in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on the weekend of December 11.
D.Brown--SFF
