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ST. ANTON, Austria — In a remarkable turn of events, Federica Brignone, aged 34, achieved her maiden World Cup downhill victory, marking a significant milestone in her illustrious skiing career. This victory was particularly noteworthy since Lindsey Vonn, a skiing legend, had previously set the record with 43 downhill wins. Meanwhile, Malorie Blanc, who had never participated in a World Cup downhill until now, surprised everyone with an extraordinary performance.
On Saturday, Brignone’s race proved thrilling as she clinched her first downhill title, while Vonn, now 40 and equipped with a titanium knee, made an impressive return, finishing in fifth place after a six-year hiatus from downhill racing. The excitement didn’t end there, as Blanc, wearing bib No. 46—indicating her low ranking—had the fastest time at the final checkpoint but ultimately finished just 0.07 seconds shy of Brignone’s time, which nudged Vonn down to sixth.
Sitting in the leader’s box, Brignone appeared astonished by Blanc’s achievement, but soon broke into a joyful smile. “What an exciting race,” she expressed. “Malorie was incredibly fast during training, and so was Lindsey—I was definitely anticipating a challenge from them.”
This race showcased the talents of three distinct generations of downhill racers, culminating in an unforgettable event. Vonn expressed her enjoyment of the day, stating, “That was fun. All things considered, it was a fantastic start.”
Brignone’s victory not only marked her first in downhill racing, but also made her the oldest winner in any World Cup discipline history, surpassing Vonn’s previous record at 33 years old in March 2018. Known as the 2020 World Cup overall champion and a five-time runner-up in downhill, her latest triumph brought her career World Cup wins to 30.
Blanc, who had recently struggled in a super-G event, was ecstatic about her performance. “It’s unbelievable, but I have to stay grounded and keep pushing forward,” she said, surrounded by teammates celebrating her success. Ester Ledecka claimed third place, finishing 0.18 seconds behind Brignone, having previously made headlines by winning Olympic gold in super-G in 2018.
Vonn’s comeback season continued as she secured sixth place, her first World Cup downhill since January 2019, where she finished ninth in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Italian venues will host another round of racing next weekend and are also scheduled for the 2026 Olympic women’s Alpine events.
The race took place on a picturesque day, with sunny skies and chilly temperatures of -8 Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit). Due to heavy snowfall, the Karl Schranz course was shortened to 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles). Brignone had to contend with fierce competition from seasoned racers like Sofia Goggia and Lara Gut-Behrami, both of whom faced challenges on the course. Goggia, the 2018 Olympic champion, led at one point before skiing out, while Gut-Behrami also encountered difficulties, finishing 13th—0.87 seconds slower than Brignone.
Despite the setbacks of some competitors, the American team fared well, with Lauren Macuga finishing ninth and Breezy Johnson coming in 11th, just 0.80 seconds behind Brignone. The spotlight turns to the super-G event scheduled for Sunday where Brignone, Vonn, and Blanc will all compete once more.
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