The medal — New Zealand’s first ever at ski racing world champs — came after last month she won her first world cup — in Kronplatz, Italy — after four long years.
"She’s leading the world cup giant slalom standings, which is amazing to be considered the best giant slalom skier [in the world]"
Arrowtowner Coberger, who coaches Robinson alongside Queenstown’s Tim Cafe, says "when you look at last [northern hemisphere] season and this season combined, so the last 11 world cup giant slalom races, she’s had two DNFs and she’s had nine podiums.
"She’s in the hunt to win the Crystal Globe, which is what you get for winning the world cup.
"I was lucky enough to have Alice in my academy when she was a junior and, you know, I saw the talent straight away, and her tenacity, her drive, her physical ability, her determination, all the things you need to be an elite athlete, she had.
"And now she’s delivering, and she’s doing it week in, week out.
"She’s doing everything right and she’s fit and healthy — she is skiing exceptionally well, the best she’s ever skied."
Coberger says Robinson’s now a household name in Italy, Austria and Germany — "if Alice walks into a supermarket in Austria, people ask her for autographs and stuff like that".
Since she’s still only 23, he’s bullish about her future.
"Probably 80% of her competitors are 28 and over, and after the Olympics next year I would imagine probably about 60% of her competitors will retire, so everything really opens up."
Coberger says Robinson’s also a reason why many northern hemisphere teams will train at Queenstown’s Coronet Peak this winter.
"There’s a huge buzz around why is Alice is so good, and a lot of it is about the training we have in NZ at Coronet Peak, and that generates a huge amount of interest in teams wanting to come to Coronet Peak and do what Alice does."
- Robinson’s expected to be in action in the GS this weekend at the FIS World Cup in Sestriere, Italy. Her first race is scheduled for 10.30pm on Friday, NZ time, and her second about 11pm on Saturday
