Vonn wins Zauchensee downhill to claim 84th World Cup victory

ZAUCHENSEE, Austria: American skiing great Lindsey Vonn continued her remarkable comeback by winning the women’s downhill race in Zauchensee on Saturday, claiming the 84th World Cup victory of her career.

The 41-year-old secured her second win of the season and her fourth podium finish from four downhill races, extending her lead in the World Cup downhill standings and strengthening her position as a leading contender for gold at next month’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Vonn clocked a time of one minute 06.24 seconds, finishing 0.37 seconds ahead of Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie. Fellow American Jacqueline Wiles finished third, 0.48 seconds behind Vonn.

The race was held on a shortened course after Friday’s training session was cancelled due to heavy snowfall. Conditions remained cold and cloudy, with snow continuing to fall during the competition.

“I honestly thought I had no chance with my start number because there was so much snow,” Vonn told TNT Sports. “I had to take a lot of risks, but I executed my plan well and brought good intensity to the race.”

Already the oldest winner in World Cup history, Vonn said her experience played a key role. “I knew I had to push hard. I could have finished last or first, but I gave it everything,” she said.

Suter returns, Egger injured

Reigning Olympic champion Corinne Suter returned to competition after a month-long absence due to a muscle injury, finishing outside the top 20. The Swiss skier said she still had work to do to regain top form.

Austria’s Magdalena Egger suffered a heavy crash after losing balance midway through her run, crashing into the safety netting. Although she briefly stood up with a bloodied nose, she was stretchered off and flown to hospital by helicopter. The incident caused a 25-minute delay in the race.

Despite worsening weather conditions after the interruption, Switzerland’s Janine Schmitt produced a career-best fifth-place finish, while Italy’s Laura Pirovano placed fourth. World champion Breezy Johnson of the United States finished seventh.

In the downhill standings, Vonn now leads Germany’s Emma Aicher by 129 points, with Pirovano in third place. Vonn is also sixth overall in the World Cup rankings.

Speaking to FIS television, Vonn said she relied on her strength in turns and opted for a tighter racing line due to fresh snow slowing the outer sections of the course.

The women’s competition continues on the same slope on Sunday with the super-G event, where Vonn will again be in action.