Rebensburg denies Worley a winning start to giant slalom defence

Viktoria Rebensburg made a winning start to the new FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup campaign by triumphing in the giant slalom ahead of reigning discipline champion Tessa Worley in Solden on Saturday.

German Rebensburg won three times in the GS last season and was the discipline's champion in 2011 and 2012.

She also holds happy memories of this venue in Austria, having won an FIS World Cup event for the first time in her career in the GS here in 2010.

Runs of 55.90secs and 59.30s for an overall time of 1:55.20 saw Rebensburg draw first blood for 2017-18, with Worley was just 0.14s behind her to claim second and get her title defence off to a solid start.

Italy's Manuela Molgg (+0.53) completed the podium, while American Mikaela Shiffrin, the reigning overall and slalom champion, was fifth (+0.74).

Switzerland's Lara Gut, making her return from a serious knee injury, did not finish her first run. And American Lindsey Vonn, a four-time former overall champion, did not qualify for a second run upon her own return from injury.