Lindsey Vonn impresses with sixth-place finish in first downhill since 2019
Giovanni Auletta/AP photo
ST. ANTON, Austria (AP) — Federica Brignone had zero World Cup downhill wins in her stellar career. Lindsey Vonn had a record 43. Malorie Blanc had never even started a World Cup downhill.
In an instant classic Saturday, Brignone started closing the gap with her debut downhill win at age 34 before ski great Vonn was hugely impressive racing into fifth place in her first downhill for six years — at age 40 and now with a titanium knee.
The drama was not over.
Wearing low-ranked bib No. 46 in just the second race of her World Cup career, Swiss prospect Blanc stunningly had the fastest time at the final checkpoint before finishing just 0.07 seconds behind Brignone. Vonn was pushed down into sixth.
Italian star Brignone looked shocked, sitting in the course-side leader’s box, by the world junior championships silver medalist’s performance before celebrating with a determined smile.
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Three generations of downhill racers had served up a compelling race for the ages.
Brignone, the 2020 World Cup overall champion and a five-time runner-up in downhills, finally stepped up to the top step of the podium in a sun-splashed race. Her debut downhill success was her 30th career World Cup win.
The Italian star was technically excellent to finish ahead of Blanc, whose only previous World Cup race was failing to finish a super-G three weeks ago in St. Moritz that was Vonn’s comeback race.
In third place Saturday was Ester Ledecka, who also once shocked the ski world by taking gold at the 2018 Olympics in super-G. Ledecka was 0.18 behind Brignone.
Vonn was sixth in the first downhill of her comeback season. Her previous World Cup downhill had been in January 2019, placing ninth at Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Italian course stages races next weekend and is the 2026 Olympics venue for women’s Alpine races.
This was the second race of the unexpected latest chapter of Vonn’s storied career. She had been 14th in the St. Moritz super-G.
The American was fastest in the first part of the course touching 124 kph (77 mph) and was in contention for a podium finish until losing time on the bottom part of the course.
Vonn raised both arms in the air and flashed a big smile when she crossed the finish line and saw her time.
“Wow, Lindsey, wow!” the racecourse commentator broadcast to fans as Vonn puffed her cheeks walking from the finish area.
It was a picture-postcard day in Austria, still and sunny with -8 Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures. The Karl Schranz course was shortened to 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) because of heavy snowfalls after Thursday’s training run.
A super-G is scheduled Sunday.
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