Who is Federica Brignone? All about 34-year-old who became the oldest woman to win an Alpine Skiing World Cup race

The ongoing FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2024/25 in Sölden, Austria, witnessed Italy's Federica Brignone rise to the occasion on the opening day and secure a famous victory over a star-studded field of Alice Robinson and world record holder Mikaela Shiffrin, the skier with the most World Cup race wins. With her victory on Saturday, October 26, the 34-year-old Brignone became the oldest female skier to win an alpine World Cup race, marking her 28th overall career World Cup win.

As the giant slalom race unfolded, Shiffrin looked poised for her 98th career victory after a strong first run. However, her second run proved disastrous as she ranked 27th out of 28 athletes, ultimately placing fifth with a +1.21 differential. In the end, Brignone came out victorious with a time of 2:16.05, while Alice Robinson of New Zealand placed second at +0.17, and Austria's home favorite Julia Scheib claimed third place with +1.08.

As Brignone added another feather to her cap, let's delve deeper into the world of Italy's alpine skiing sensation.

Federica Brignone's family and hometown

Federica Brignone at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals (Image via Getty)

Brignone was born on July 14, 1990, in Milan, the global capital of fashion and design. Her father Daniele is a ski instructor, while her mother, Maria Rosa Quario, affectionately known as "Ninna," is a former World Cup skier with four World Cup victories under her belt. Her brother, Davide, is also a skier and serves as Brignone's personal coach. She currently resides in in La Salle, Aosta Valley.

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At what age did Brignone begin skiing

As per her official website, Brignone began skiing when she was just one and a half years young.

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Who is her role model

Brignone looks up to her compatriot and five-time Olympian Kristian Ghedina as her role model. During the course of his skiing career, Ghedina secured 13 World Cup race victories and 33 podium finishes. Beyond skiing, Brignone also admires Roger Federer as another one of her idols.

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Federica Brignone's most notable achievements

Federica Brignone at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals (Image via Getty)

Federica Brignone made her World Cup debut in 2007, while the 2010 World Cup marked her first full year on the circuit. Over her extensive career, she has achieved an impressive 28 World Cup race wins, including 13 in the Giant Slalom, ten in the Super-G, and five in combined events. Furthermore, she has amassed 70 podium finishes, including 37 in Giant Slalom, 20 in Super-G, 7 in Downhill, and 6 in Combined events.

In addition, the 34-year-old has represented Italy at four Winter Olympics and secured two medals, a bronze and a silver in the Giant Slalom, along with a bronze in the combined event. In March 2020, Brignone became the first and the only female Italian skier to win an overall Crystal Globe after defeating Mikaela Shiffrin (1,225 points) and Petra Vlhova (1,189 points) with a remarkable tally of 1,378 points.