Stefan Brennsteiner Wins First Career World Cup Race at Copper Cup

COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — Stefan Brennsteiner, an Austrian skier, celebrated a monumental victory on Friday as he secured his first career World Cup win during the second day of the Copper Cup.

After 82 starts across 11 seasons, the 34-year-old Brennsteiner finished with the fastest time in the giant slalom on the 422-meter West Encore run. He expressed his excitement about his win, stating, “I was pretty excited when I heard number one because the conditions are amazing down here.”

His race strategy paid off as he opened with a strong first run, leading with a time of 1:35.92. By the second run, he extended his lead from 0.70 seconds to 0.95 seconds, clinching victory with a total time of 2:05.38.

Henrik Kristoffersen from Norway finished in second place, while Croatian skier Filip Zubcic moved up to claim bronze. Kristoffersen acknowledged Brennsteiner’s performance, saying, “He was in his own league today.”

The race saw plenty of movement among competitors as they navigated the challenges presented by the altitude and steepness of the course. Zubcic, despite finishing in third, noted his strength in the final portion of the course, stating, “I wasn’t in the first run, but I showed I can be fast on the last 10-15 gates.”

The American contingent had a mixed performance, with River Radamus being the only American to advance to the second run, ultimately finishing 14th.

Looking ahead, the women’s giant slalom is set to take place at Copper Mountain on Saturday at 10 a.m. Meanwhile, the men’s circuit will continue next week at Beaver Creek, with a potential change in course height being discussed, drawing significant interest from the athletes.

Brennsteiner acknowledged the potential for an even tougher race ahead, remarking, “If we do that, it’s going to be crazy.”