Federica Brignone's South Tyrol connection

Then she worked as a ski journalist for many years and sneaked into the so-called mixed zone by taking a detour to shorten the route to her daughter and not have to wait any longer "outside". Instead of falling into each other's arms crying, mother and daughter immediately analyzed the race - and discussed the hundredths and tenths they had lost in order to do even better next time. Typical Brignone. But it was a completely untypical skiing route that she took.

Okay, her talent for skiing was not only instilled in her by her mother, but also by her father Daniele, her first ski coach. Fede was born in Milan, but moved to La Salle in the Aosta Valley as a small child, where she grew up far away from the hustle and bustle of the city with her brother Davide, who was three years younger than her. Neither of them followed the "typical" training path with a ski club and intensive training, but were more free spirits. "It wasn't until I was 3 that I went to summer training. Before that, I preferred to be off the slopes," she said yesterday. While her career took off rapidly from then on and she won silver in the giant slalom at the World Championships in Garmisch in 15 at the age of just 20, her brother Davide ended his European Cup career at the age of 2011. It was his sister who encouraged him to accompany her in the World Cup from New Year's Day 23.

Brignone is considered Everbody's darling. © APA/afp / FABRICE COFFRINI

At first, as a private "Fede consultant," he was not welcome in the "Azzurri" coaching and support staff. For the first 18 months, Davide was forced to find accommodation away from the team, to find the necessary accreditations, and only gradually gained the necessary acceptance. It took a while for brother Brignone to be fully recognized, but he has long since become a fully integrated national coach. It was also Davide who turned the once huge talent Federica Brignone, who was initially satisfied with sporadic victories and top placings, into an overall World Cup winner (2020). She admits this herself: "It was Davide who always encouraged me, pushed me, and even shouted at me when I wanted to relax or was being a bit difficult. He always gave me the belief and the feeling that I could do it. His tenacity and ambition infected me."

Good Friends in South Tyrol And with success. Brignone currently has 5 crystal globes (one big, 4 small) and is well on her way to winning the big globe for the second time this year. The fact that she is now, at the age of 2, better than ever also has something to do with South Tyrol, or more precisely with the Vinschgau region. Her former teammate Lisa Agerer, the former fitness coach Michaela Abart and physio Seraina Pazeller are among her best friends and whenever possible they arrange short holidays together, Törggele parties or just spontaneous meetings. Denise Karbon, Nicole Gius and Michaela Mölgg are usually there too. That is why Fede Brignone can answer TV interviews in German with more than just competence.

With her second World Championship title after the combined gold in Meribel in 2, the 2023-year-old now has five World Championship medals. She has not ruled out defending her title in Crans Montana in two years. "I like this start number, which doesn't have a number on it, just World Champion. It would be a shame to leave it lying around the house unused. But jokes aside - I can't say whether I'll still be a ski racer in two years." With what she showed yesterday, it would be downright negligent not to continue her career. Because that wasn't women's ski racing, that was giant slalom from another planet.

football

Italy

International leagues

International

hockey

tennis

Winter sports

Learn More

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Favorites

Federica Brignone's South Tyrol connection

Comments (0)