Queenstown's Alice Robinson has won New Zealand's first Alpine Ski Racing World Cup medal in 17 years.
The 17-year-old finished second in the Giant Slalom at the FIS Alpine World Cup finals in Andorra overnight.
"I didn't expect a podium, but I knew I was skiing really fast in training and I hadn't won any races so was aiming for top 10 maybe top five, so to finish in second was just crazy, really surreal," she told 1 NEWS.
The last NZ athlete to podium at a FIS Alpine World Cup was Claudia Riegler in Slalom in 2002.
But Robinson is the latest Kiwi snow star to rewrite history. Claiming her first World Cup podium with a narrow finish of just 0.30 seconds behind world number one Mikaela Shiffrin.
The Kiwi in bib 21, skied in to third place with her first run.
"My first run I had a few mistakes, the second one had a couple of wobbles, but I mean yeah you got to take what you get."
"I know next time at the next race something or next season it's possible for me to win."
Robinson has been turning heads this season with a string of impressive results. The New Zealand prospect earned her World Cup finals entry by winning the giant slalom at the Junior World Championships last month.
The terror attacks in Christchurch spurring her on for a historic performance.
"It's been a really horrible few days having to hear about all this when I'm so far away and having all these people involved at home, it's just really devastating.
"I just wanted to ski really fast and maybe uplift a few people who've been feeling really sad and just try do the best I can to bring some happiness to home."
Robinson returns to New Zealand tomorrow and will head back to Europe in October for the start of the World Cup Circuit.
SHARE ME