Intro:

Tina Wierather of Liechtenstein protected her lead from the first run to win a women's World Cup giant slalom at Val d'Isere on Sunday and clinch her second victory of the season.

Two-time defending overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher led the opening run of a giant slalom on the Gran Risa course on Sunday, while favourite Ted Ligety came third.

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All eyes on the women's giant slalom at Val d'Isere on Sunday, after Saturday's incident-filled race where several skiers crashed or skied out, including America's Lindsey Von.

This time only Germany's Veronique Hronek came foul of the demanding course, appearing to twist her right knee when she crashed out of the first run.

Liechtenstein's Tina Weirather, however, was the person to beat after winning a super-G race at St. Moritz last weekend.

On Sunday 24-year-old Wierather secured her third career win and 13th podium finish with an overall time of 2 minutes, 24.10 seconds.

She was .75 seconds clear of Swiss skier Lara Gut, who was third after the first run, and .95 ahead of Sweden's Maria Pietilae-Holmner, who had been second.

Over the Alps in Italy, Considered one of the circuit's top giant slaloms, the Gran Risa begins with a steep and twisty section through the trees then flattens out with a series of rolls before the finish, meaning it's tough to make up time if any mistakes are made in the first half of the course.

Opening up was the favourite for the race - 2006 Olympic Chamipn, Ted Ligety of the United States.

The American looked to have clocked an impressive time, but the in form Marcel Hirscher trumped Ligety.

Aiming for his second consecutive GS win after a victory in Val d'Isere, last weekend, Hirscher clocked 1 minute, 18.14 seconds for a 0.22 advantage over French rival Alexis Pinturault.

Ligety was 0.41 back. Last year the American won the opening run by a staggering 2.4 seconds.

After Christmas, the circuit resumes with a downhill in Bormio next weekend.