Skiing: Kiwi Alice Robinson wonders what might have been following end to World Cup season

Kiwi teen ski sensation Alice Robinson has had to settle for fifth overall in the World Cup Giant Slalom season which has been cut short due to the spread of the coronavirus in Europe.

Tomorrow night's race in Are in Sweden was cancelled this morning by the FIS after new recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Sweden.

It follows last week's cancellation of the World Cup Finals in Cortina, Italy next week due to the coronavirus outbreak and leaves Robinson wondering what might have been.

"It's really disappointing obviously and a bit of a bummer that the last three races were cancelled. We are all up here and ready to go and it was just getting a bit too dangerous to run this sort of event with everything going on right now," she said.

"The number of cases is increasing by the day and is getting too dangerous and everything needs to be shut down."

Robinson had risen to joint top of the FIS World Giant Slalom rankings alongside Olympic champion Michaela Shiffrin and Italian Federica Brignone.

After winning her second World Cup race in Kransjka Gora in Slovenia last month, she was in a position to challenge for the overall GS title. But that hope was scuttled by a lack of snow at the German resort of Ofterschwang and the coronavirus which forced the cancellation of this week's race in Sweden, and next week's World Cup Finals in Italy.

"It's been tough, obviously I was really excited because after my win in Kransjka Gora there was an opportunity for me to win the overall title, and even this weekend I was only about 10 points off third in the overall standings. So it's pretty disappointing it had to end like this," Robinson said.

However, Robinson is immensely proud of her achievements, becoming the first New Zealander since Claudia Riegler in the 1990's to win World Cup races and establishing herself as a superstar in alpine skiing. She is just 18 with most of her rivals on the circuit in the mid-20s and she's garnered a reputation of having the 'fastest turn' in skiing.

"It's been a really awesome season when I look back on it," Robinson said. "Seeing we only had six GS races, for two wins out of six is great and I got the same amount of wins as Brignone who won the overall title."

It's left her more determined to come back even stronger next season and strive to win every race she competes in.

"I am really happy with how I am skiing and how I am competing, it's just a matter of gaining more experience and consistency and that's going to be the goals for me next season is to be able to put down the skiing I know I can do every race. That's what I will be working towards in the off season, to get as fit as I can and work towards winning every race next year and bring in other disciplines."

Those disciplines are the Super G which she dabbled in this season, (finished fourth at the World Junior Champs in Norway on Monday) and the blue riband speed event downhill.

"I am looking forward to it; the Downhill will be a cool event for me, a big step up. It's the true speed event. Obviously it's going to be a long seven months waiting and anticipating but I am sure the next season will come around as quickly as this one has finished so I have to keep focused and keep working."

But for now the priority is getting home to Queenstown.

"I really would quite like to get back to New Zealand right now and get away from all the drama. I haven't been home for four months, and hopefully it all stays calm down in New Zealand."