Lindsey Vonn, aged 41, continues to showcase unmatched consistency on the World Cup speed circuit by frequently landing on the podium. In a recent super-G event in Tarvisio, Italy, Vonn secured second place, marking her seventh podium finish out of eight races this season. This outstanding performance sets her apart, as no other skier has achieved more than three podium finishes in speed events. Even Mikaela Shiffrin, with seven podiums in 14 technical races, has not displayed the same level of consistency across all disciplines.
Vonn’s remarkable results position her as a strong contender for medals in both downhill and super-G at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, scheduled to commence in less than three weeks in Italy. Despite being narrowly beaten by Germany’s Emma Aicher, who is 19 years her junior, Vonn’s impressive form remains evident. Aicher clinched victory with a time of 1:14.04, edging out Vonn by 0.27 seconds, while former Olympic champion Ester Ledecka secured third place, trailing by 0.94 seconds with a time of 1:14.98.
Reflecting on the challenging race conditions, Vonn expressed her satisfaction with another podium finish, stating, “It was tough with the visibility, but I’m really happy to be on the podium again. Of course, I’m close to another win, but it is what it is. I think I’ll save the hundredths for Cortina.”
In other notable performances, Val Grenier of St-Isidore, Ont., achieved a commendable 14th position out of 53 finishers with a time of 1:15.59 in the super-G event, while teammate Cassidy Gray from Panorama, B.C., faced disqualification for undisclosed reasons.
Alice Robinson, the accomplished New Zealand skier, experienced a dramatic crash into the final gate during the race but managed to quickly recover, seemingly avoiding serious injury despite appearing shaken. The challenging fog on the upper section of the course presented obstacles for all skiers navigating the Prampero course.
Amidst the competition, Aicher’s consistent performance led her to victory, securing her second win of the season. Expressing her satisfaction, Aicher remarked, “I’m happy that I could push through and have no mistakes for once.”
The event also witnessed Czech racer Ester Ledecka claiming her first podium of the season, while Romane Miradoli of France secured fourth place and Keely Cashman of the United States achieved fifth, marking the best result of her career.
Looking ahead, the women’s circuit will continue in Italy with the Kronplatz giant slalom scheduled for Tuesday. With only one more set of speed races remaining before the Olympics in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Jan. 30-31, the competition is heating up. Additionally, the Italian team announced the return of defending overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone for the Kronplatz race, following her recovery from multiple leg injuries sustained in April.
As the excitement builds for the upcoming Winter Olympics, the skiers are gearing up for more thrilling competitions, with each race bringing them closer to their goals of glory on the world stage.