On a spectacular bluebird day in St. Anton, Austria, the world’s greatest feminine pace skiers battled it out on the Karl Schranz Downhill course. Victory went to Italy’s Federica Brignone, whereas 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 incredible run. Ledecka put down a quick and livid run and shone the place others struggled, awarding her her first podium of the 2024-25 season.
Lindsey Vonn confirmed simply why the American is essentially the most profitable Downhill skier of all time, ending in an unimaginable sixth place in her first Downhill race since her comeback. The 40-year-old completed in 14th in Tremendous-G in Corviglia, St. Moritz, Switzerland, in December and now has proven that there is no such thing as a age restrict to her racing potential. Crew USA noticed a complete of three skiers within the high 11, with Lauren Macuga in ninth place and Breezy Johnson in eleventh place.
A number of ski racers struggled on the course’s high part, with a number of skiers going too huge on a left flip and winding up too low on the course and recording a DNF, together with USA’s Jacqui Wiles and Italy’s Sofia Goggia. Lara Intestine-Behrami additionally went too low on that nook and skied into the softer snow beneath, costing her invaluable milliseconds. In the end, it was solely thirteenth place for final 12 months’s Total Crystal Globe season winner.
Federica Brignone, in bib 14, snatched the lead from teammate Laura Pirovano in an unimaginable 0.43 seconds. For a very long time, it seemed like it might be a double-Italian podium, however the huge hole left sufficient area for Ledecka in bib 27 to ski between the 2 Italians. With the rostrum rearranged and the highest 30 skiers performed, all eyes have been on snowboarding legend Lindsey Vonn, who didn’t disappoint. The previously retired U.S. ski racer put down a fully good run, wanting assured and powerful all through the race. By the mid-section of the course, a podium spot appeared doable for Vonn, however the American misplaced some milliseconds on the underside part and skied into on the time fifth place, 0.07 seconds behind Austria’s Stephanie Venier.
By bib 46, most spectators thought the race was over, however Switzerland’s Blanc confirmed that her nice coaching run from Thursday, wherein she had completed in fourth place behind Brignone, Intestine-Behrami, and Goggia, was not a fluke. The Swiss had the fifth-best time within the high part after which snatched the lead from Brignone. The Italian skier within the chief’s seat furrowed her brows as her victory was immediately endangered however then breathed a sigh of reduction when the 21-year-old Swiss skier crossed a mere 0.07 seconds behind her, leaving her thirtieth World Cup victory intact. With this victory, Brignone expanded her file to be the oldest feminine World Cup winner by a number of days. It additionally marked her first-ever Downhill victory, the Italian had till at this time solely received in Tremendous-G and Big Slalom.
With Blanc’s second place, Vonn was bumped from fifth to sixth place however leaving the American with a lift to her FIS rating into 14th place which can give her a greater beginning bib going into the following Downhill race.
The ladies’s pace races at St. Anton proceed tomorrow, Sunday, with a Tremendous-G occasion.
