Kirchgasser, who turns 27 on Sunday, finished the two legs in Schladming with a combined time of 1min 32.57sec, ahead of first-leg leader Veronika Zuzulova of Slovakia with 1:32.69, while Schild was third in 1:33.08.

It was only the second ever slalom win in the World Cup for Kirchgasser, who is now looking to push on next season.

"It's great, (to win) in front of a home public and on the slope of the next world championships, it's just incredible," she said.

"I just thought, take every risk.

"Next year is another season but I know what works now and it's just nice.

"I have a great season behind me and I can't wait to come back here for the world championships next year."

Failed

In coming third, Schild, the current slalom world champion, failed to equal Switzerland's Vreni Schneider's record 34 career World Cup victories in the discipline.

"Of course, I would have loved to make the 34 but there's always work that can be done and it's something to strive for next season," she said.

US skier Lindsey Vonn, who has bagged the overall, downhill, super-G and super-combined World Cup trophies this season, meanwhile broke the record of Croatia's Janica Kostelic for the most points in one season of any female skier.

Ahead of Sunday's final giant slalom of the season Vonn now stands at 1,980 points, 10 points over Kostelic's record and 21 short of beating the men's historic tally of 2,000 points established by Austria's Hermann Maier in 2000.

"I was a little more careful in the second leg, I didn't want to go out. But I now have the women's record, I'm really happy," said Vonn.

"I hope it works out tomorrow. It's a little more drama for the viewers," she laughed.

"I will totally attack tomorrow. Hopefully I can make it."