The 26-year-old, a World Championship silver medallist in the discipline in 2011, clocked 2min 10.05sec to triumph after her two runs.

France's two-time world champion Tessa Worley had to settle for silver medal position in 2:10.60 as Italy also claimed the bronze thanks to Marta Bassino.

Twenty-year-old Bassino was timed at 2:10.62.

Brignone is the first Italian female winner of the World Cup season.

Mikaela Shiffrin, the United States' overall World Cup leader, was fifth today behind last season's overall champion, Switzerland's Lara Gut.

It means that Gut has cut Shiffrin's lead this season by five points, with the US skier on 1053 points and the Swiss on 923.

Worley, the giant slalom leader, is third overall on 688.

In men's competition, Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen won a slalom night race in Schladming in Austria.

The defending overall champion in the discipline clocked 1:39.83 for victory after two runs to disappoint home favourite Marcel Hirscher, who had to make do with second.

Hirscher, who is hoping to win the overall World Cup title for the sixth straight year, was timed at 1:39.92.

Russia's Alexander Khoroshilov skied to bronze in a time of 1:40.46.

At the top of the overall standings, Hirscher still boasts a commanding lead with 1160 points.

Kristoffersen is second but someway behind on 792, with France's Alpine Combined champion Alexis Pinturault third on 713.