Snow sports: Alice Robinson struggles in season opening World Cup Giant Slalom

New Zealand's Alice Robinson gestures at the finish line during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom, in Soelden, Austria. Photo / AP

New Zealand ski racer Alice Robinson has failed to fire in her opening World Cup Giant Slalom of the season.

The 19-year-old has finished 11th in Solden in Austria, the venue of her first of three World Cup victories two years ago.

Robinson who had high hopes of a top result heading into the race, had the misfortune of drawing bib 15 despite being ranked eighth and as a result she didn't enjoy the best of the conditions for her opening run.

However, she made a flying start and was only 0.07 of a second off the pace at the first split. But a mistake on the steep middle section when she made a small error onto the inside ski cost her time. But she powered home on the flats to finish the opening run in seventh, .90 of a second behind Switzerland's reigning world champion Lara Gut-Behrami who was quickest, just ahead of American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin.

New Zealand's Alice Robinson speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom, in Soelden, Austria. Photo / AP

The second run was a major disappointment for the young Kiwi who almost crashed out on the top section of the course and never recovered with mistakes on the steep middle section and on the flats to post the 23rd fastest time of the 30 starters.

Robinson's combined time over the two runs of 2:09.96 was 2.41 seconds slower than the winner Shiffrin who edged Gut-Behrami into second by 0.14 of a second with Slovak Petra Vlhova rounding out the podium.

Robinson won't be the only big name to leave Solden disappointed. Last year's Giant Slalom Globe World Cup winner and defending Solden champion Italian Marta Bassino failed to finish the opening run while compatriot and overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone crashed out on the second run.

Robinson will now head to Copper Mountain in Colorado for three weeks of speed training, (Super G and Downhill) before turning her attention to her next Giant Slalom at Killington in Vermont on the 28th of November.

Last year's Giant Slalom Globe World Cup winner and defending Solden champion Italian Marta Bassino failed to finish the opening run while compatriot and overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone crashed out on the second run.

Solden marked the start of the biggest season to date for the Queenstown skier that includes the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, while she will be competing in the full Super G season and introduce Downhill to her repertoire.