Italian Federica Brignone will go into a home Olympics as a reigning world champion, while Minnesotan Paula Moltzan is a first-time individual world medalist, 12-plus years after her debut at ski racing’s highest level.

Italy's Federica Brignone and New Zealand's Alice Robinson blew away the field Thursday, with Moltzan sneaking into the No. 3 spot.

Seven medals from major skiing events, including a world title in Alpine combined and Olympic silver and bronze in giant slalom.

Italian skier Federica Brignone won the first World Cup giant slalom after taking gold at the world championships on Friday, while Mikaela Shiffrin finished 25th in the American's first race in the discipline in nearly 12 weeks.

Federica Brignone overcame a recent illness to win the first World Cup giant slalom after taking gold at the Alpine skiing world championships on Friday, while Mikaela

Federica Brignone won the giant slalom event at the alpine skiing world championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, on Thursday. Britt Richardson, of Canmore, Alta., was the top Canadian finisher,

Italian skier Federica Brignone won the first World Cup giant slalom after taking gold at the world championships

Italian Federica Brignone won a women's World Cup giant slalom on home snow in Sestriere on Friday as U.S. ski great Mikaela Shiffrin finished 25th on her return to the discipline after a crash in Vermont last November.

Italian skier Federica Brignone has posted the fastest time in the opening run of the women's giant slalom at the Alpine world championships in Austria.

Mikaela Shiffrin has finished 2.89 seconds off the lead in the opening run of a World Cup giant slalom in her first race in the discipline in nearly 12 weeks.