Robinson carving a niche

Beating Goggia and Vonn

In four giant slaloms, Robinson has registered two victories and a third-place finish.

Then on Dec 14, she finished ahead of Sofia Goggia and Lindsey Vonn in the season's opening super-G for her first career win in a speed discipline.

The victory in St Moritz, Switzerland, made Robinson the first man or woman from New Zealand to win a super-G. That came after a giant slalom victory last month -the fifth win of her career — made her the most successful women's World Cup winner from a non-European or North American nation.

Nearly two months into the season, Robinson sits second in the overall standings, 74 points behind Shiffrin.

Expanding to the speed disciplines has been something that Robinson has been considering ever since she announced herself to the skiing world by winning the season-opening giant slalom on the Rettenbach glacier in Solden, Austria, six years ago as a 17-year-old.

"I never just wanted to be a one-trick pony," she said.