Skiing: Alice Robinson spearheads Kiwi quartet at Alpine Skiing World Championships

Alice Robinson will be among the contenders in the Giant Slalom at Alpine Skiing World Championships in Cortina, Italy. Photo / Supplied

Despite struggling to produce her best form in 2021, 19-year-old Kiwi skier Alice Robinson has a genuine chance of making the podium at the Alpine Skiing World Championships over the next 12 days in Cortina in Italy.

Robinson will be among the contenders in her specialist event the Giant Slalom on February 18, but before that she has the Alpine Combined, a Super G, and a Slalom overnight tonight before the Super G 24 hours later. She is joined in the team by Piera Hudson, Willis Feasey and Jack Adams.

It's Robinson though where the attention will fall and in one race in particular, the Giant Slalom.

The young Kiwi took the alpine world by storm last season when she powered to victory in two of the six completed Giant Slalom World Cup races. She is hoping to put behind her a frustrating World Cup season to date, where her best results have been ninth in her past two starts in the GS.

"I am super excited about the world champs, obviously it's been a tricky season. I feel like the world champs Is a bit of a break and not connected like the rest of the World Cup season," Robinson told the Herald.

First up for the 19-year-old is the Alpine Combined tonight. It features a Super G and a Slalom and Robinson is using it as a tune up for tomorrow night's Super G. Robinson is not a Slalom skier so it's all about shaking out the cobwebs.

"A lot of the girls will be doing the Combined as a tune up for the Super G to check out the same slopes."

She hasn't developed as quickly as she hoped in Super G this season with 21st her best result in the speed discipline.

"I have barely skied any speed in my life and it's going to take a lot of time to develop those speed skills. All the girls on the podium are in their mid 20s and it kind of shows. I have got a long way to go and I wish I could snap my fingers and be a top speed skier. It's also quite difficult to be able to train on the Super G courses because it's impossible to get a hill that is as technical and as fast in training as it is in a World Cup race."

A top 20 result tomorrow night would be commendable for Robinson with her main goal challenging for the medals in the Giant Slalom.

The Queenstown skier can sense her confidence returning in Giant Slalom. Although she sits 16th in the World Cup standings with two races remaining in March, two top 10 results in her last two races have her aiming to crack the podium next week.

"I didn't have my first snow work with my team until the end of August. It has taken me a while to get my confidence and to get my skiing legs to where they need to be at during races, especially in the GS. I think it's the toughest discipline and the most competitive and there are so many girls on their game.

"I was pretty happy with my last race in Kronplatz where I finished ninth. My time away from the winner (+1.52 seconds) was significantly decreased from the previous races and my second run I was right there and it's really a good step in the right direction."

Robinson feels the season has been a huge learning curve for her and has motivated her to work harder. The World Championships are second only to the Olympics and her relative struggles on the World Cup circuit will be merely a blip if she can put fast runs together next week in Cortina.

"It's about having the confidence on race day to be able to put the best skiing down. Unfortunately, one little mistake can see you drop - it's just a matter of me putting all the pieces in the puzzle together."

Hudson will compete with Robinson in the Giant Slalom and the Hawke's Bay skier also lines up in the Slalom and the individual Parallel with Robinson also slated to race that event.

Feasey also has a busy program with the men's Super G later this week, the Alpine Combined and the Giant Slalom. Adams will compete in the Giant Slalom and Slalom.