On a spectacular bluebird day in St. Anton, Austria, the world’s best female speed skiers battled it out on the Karl Schranz Downhill course. Victory went to Italy’s Federica Brignone, while second place went to rookie Malorie Blanc on her Downhill World Cup debut. The 21-year-old Swiss skier in bib 46 bumped down Czechia’s Ester Ledecka, who put down a fantastic run. Ledecka put down a fast and furious run and shone where others struggled, awarding her her first podium of the 2024-25 season.
Lindsey Vonn showed just why the American is the most successful Downhill skier of all time, finishing in an incredible sixth place in her first Downhill race since her comeback. The 40-year-old finished in 14th in Super-G in Corviglia, St. Moritz, Switzerland, in December and now has shown that there is no age limit to her racing ability. Team USA saw a total of three skiers in the top 11, with Lauren Macuga in ninth place and Breezy Johnson in 11th place.
Several ski racers struggled on the course’s top section, with several skiers going too wide on a left turn and winding up too low on the course and recording a DNF, including USA’s Jacqui Wiles and Italy’s Sofia Goggia. Lara Gut-Behrami also went too low on that corner and skied into the softer snow below, costing her valuable milliseconds. Ultimately, it was only 13th place for last year’s Overall Crystal Globe season winner.
Federica Brignone, in bib 14, snatched the lead from teammate Laura Pirovano in an incredible 0.43 seconds. For a long time, it looked like it would be a double-Italian podium, but the wide gap left enough space for Ledecka in bib 27 to ski between the two Italians. With the podium rearranged and the top 30 skiers done, all eyes were on skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, who did not disappoint. The formerly retired U.S. ski racer put down an absolutely brilliant run, looking confident and strong throughout the race. By the mid-section of the course, a podium spot seemed possible for Vonn, but the American lost some milliseconds on the bottom section and skied into at the time fifth place, 0.07 seconds behind Austria’s Stephanie Venier.
By bib 46, most spectators thought the race was over, but Switzerland’s Blanc showed that her great training run from Thursday, in which she had finished in fourth place behind Brignone, Gut-Behrami, and Goggia, was not a fluke. The Swiss had the fifth-best time in the top section and then snatched the lead from Brignone. The Italian skier in the leader’s seat furrowed her brows as her victory was suddenly endangered but then breathed a sigh of relief when the 21-year-old Swiss skier crossed a mere 0.07 seconds behind her, leaving her 30th World Cup victory intact. With this victory, Brignone expanded her record to be the oldest female World Cup winner by a few days. It also marked her first-ever Downhill victory, the Italian had until today only won in Super-G and Giant Slalom.
With Blanc’s second place, Vonn was bumped from fifth to sixth place but leaving the American with a boost to her FIS ranking into 14th place which will give her a better starting bib going into the next Downhill race.
The women’s speed races at St. Anton continue tomorrow, Sunday, with a Super-G event.
Skier Yogi Globe Trotter
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