Sawt Falasteen - Kiwi Robinson happy to punch above her weight with world silver

Robinson came down second fastest after Italian winner Federica Brignone, with American Paula Moltzan claiming bronze, to make good on a couple of disappointing seasons.

The New Zealander became her country's youngest-ever Winter Olympian when, at the age of 16 years and 70 days, she took part in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, finishing 35th in the giant slalom.

Robinson was then one of the breakout stars of the World Cup in 2019-20 season, winning the opening giant slalom of the campaign in Soelden, Austria, at the age of 17, and backing it up with another victory four months later in the Slovenian resort of Kranjska Gora.

Then followed a barren patch. Currently in her eighth year on the circuit, the now 23-year-old is seemingly ready to cash in on her obvious talent.

After five podium places in the giant slalom last season, Robinson has already notched up four more this year and touched down in Saalbach on the back of victory in Kronplatz -- her first since March 2021.

Her previous best result at a world championships was fourth in the giant slalom in Cortina in 2021.

"It's so cool, I feel like I've been in such good form, felt so good on my skis all year," said the Sydney-born skier whose family are based in New Zealand's South Island resort town of Queenstown.

"It's super cool to get another medal and it's really awesome to medal in a sport like alpine ski racing to bring a country like New Zealand to the medal table.

"It's just pretty surreal but it's just really exciting, I don't really know what more to say."

- Maiden Kiwi medal -

Her silver was a first ever by a New Zealand skier at a World Ski Championships.

"I didn't even know until this morning that we hadn't had a world championship medal until today!" said Robinson, one of the rare racers outside North America and the European powerhouses to be properly competitive.

"New Zealand, it's a small country in the middle of nowhere, but we punch well above our weight in terms of sports so it's cool that winter sports are starting to become like that as well.

"It's like in the summer Olympics, we do so well for the small country we are and I mean in winter it's just getting better and better."

Looking back on her career, Robinson said the journey had been "insane".

"I was someone who had so much raw talent and I won a race when I was 17, I was really good in certain conditions," she said.

"I had a lot of raw speed, but I didn't fall into ski racing by accident, I came to Europe for the first time when I was 16 and then won a race a year later.

"I just had no idea what I was doing, but I had this natural talent and I really struggled actually after winning so young and if things didn't go the way I wanted, it was hard to understand.

"I struggled for a couple of years with no podiums and really didn't know what to do and I feel like this last season and this season I've been just finally breaking through and understanding the sport more and knowing what it means to be an all-rounder."

Robinson added: "It's been such a journey, I've learnt so much and it's cool to be here today, win the silver medal at the world championships and hopefully there's a lot more years ahead of me."

W.Mansour--SF-PST