Sawt Falasteen - Brignone impresses in first run of Kronplatz giant slalom in World Cup comeback

Italy's Brignone, nicknamed 'the Tiger', grinned like a Cheshire Cat at the finish after clocking a time of one minute and 14.72 seconds on the Erta piste.

The giant slalom world champion ended the first run 1.18sec behind leader Sara Hector ahead of the second run which is scheduled for 1430 local time (1330 GMT).

"I felt good, the more I warm up the better I feel and with the adrenaline and everything I didn't feel too much pain, so it was a good test," said Brignone to Italian broadcaster RAI.

On Monday Brignone said she was still unsure about her participation at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, which run over February 6-22, as she attempts a comeback from a double leg break suffered in April last year.

The 35-year-old admitted that she still felt pain in her left leg on a daily basis but was clearly delighted with her run despite some clear rustiness on the slope.

Asked if she was happy, a beaming Brignone said: "So much, but now I want to rediscover my feeling (on the piste), rediscover how I know I can ski."

"Now that I've broken the ice I hope I can do that in the second run," she added.

Brignone will return to training after today's race to focus on the speed events, as her goal is to compete not only in the Olympic giant slalom, scheduled for February 15 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, but also in the downhill on February 8 and the super-G four days later.

Italy's other main Olympic medal hope Sofia Goggia had short day on the piste, nearly losing control right out the gate before sliding off course before the end of the first sector.

Mikaela Shiffrin has a good chance of her first giant slalom podium in two years as the overall World Cup leader finished the first run in fourth, 0.89sec behind Hector.

K.AbuDahab--SF-PST