Snow sports: Kiwi ski star Alice Robinson gets a chance to resume rivalry with Olympic champion this weekend

Alice Robinson. Photo / Photosport

Kiwi ski sensation Alice Robinson is poised to make a dramatic return to the FIS World Cup Giant Slalom circuit three weeks earlier than expected this weekend in Vermont.

The 17-year-old, who last month became just the second Kiwi after Claudia Riegler two decades ago to win an Alpine skiing World Cup race, has recovered faster than expected from bone bruising on the knee which emerged following her stunning victory over reigning Olympic giant slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin in Austria.

Doctors initially advised Robinson to rest for six weeks after an MRI scan at home in Queenstown revealed the knee problem and she pulled out of this weekend's second round of the World Cup at Killington.

She was expected to return for the third race of the season on December the 17th in Courchevel in France.

However, Robinson travelled to Copper Mountain in Colorado where her Kiwi coach Chris Knight has been working with members of the US ski team, having previously coached American great Lindsay Vonn from 2014-2018.

She had a second MRI scan under the tutelage of US ski team doctor William Sterett and Knight revealed the "bone bruising has decreased significantly."

"Because of its location there is no cause for concern with damaging the cartilage," Knight said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alice Robinson (@alicerobins0n)

Robinson is optimistic she can be on the start line on Sunday morning.

"I have had two good days training and we will see how it goes the next couple of days," Robinson told NZME as she was preparing to leave Colorado for Vermont. "The first day I was a little bit hesitant but got kind of used it pretty soon and today I am getting back to normal.

"It will be good to go over there and if it goes well then I probably will race. I am just trying to keep chilled and will try to trust my skiing.

"Normally I would have just over two weeks on the snow before the race and now I will have six days on snow which isn't ideal. But if you can get six quality days it should be fine."

Robinson gained worldwide recognition back in March when she produced an incredible performance to win silver behind overall World Cup champion Shiffrin in the giant Sslalom at the World Cup Finals in Andorra.

It followed on from her 17th placed finish at the senior world championships in Sweden where she clocked the fastest time in the second run, and her gold medal winning performance at the Junior World Champs in Italy.