GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Swiss ski athlete Lara Gut-Behrami is back on track as she aims for success ahead of the upcoming world championships next month. On Sunday, she triumphed in the final super-G before the championship, marking her first victory of the season after navigating difficult course conditions. Lindsey Vonn finished in 13th place.
Gut-Behrami demonstrated her excellence on the Kandahar course, showcasing her skill through the tricky sections, particularly earning her 46th career win, which places her joint fifth on the all-time list for female competitors. “It’s nice. I have been skiing well for a while, but still felt like something was missing, so it’s wonderful to secure a win again,” Gut-Behrami commented. She acknowledged the tough conditions: “It was a bit slippery and soft. Sometimes when the conditions aren’t perfect for you, it makes you less focused.”
The world championships are scheduled to take place in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, from February 4-16, with the first individual race being the women’s super-G set for February 6. Gut-Behrami excelled in a difficult section of the course that posed challenges for many racers—navigating a jump followed by a sharp turn to the left.
She finished the race 0.35 seconds ahead of Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, who secured her first podium finish in super-G competitions at Garmisch-Partenkirchen four years ago. Federica Brignone claimed third place, just three-tenths of a second behind Gut-Behrami, following her victory in the downhill race the previous day. Sofia Goggia, who took second place in Saturday’s race, finished fourth, while teammates Laura Pirovano and Marta Bassino contributed to a strong Italian showing with four racers in the top six.
American skier Keely Cashman matched Bassino’s sixth-place finish, which marked her career-best result on a course where she suffered severe injuries in a crash in 2021. “I know it was four years ago, but it’s something that’s hard to shake off,” said Cashman, who had only one previous top 10 finish in 68 World Cup races. “Starting today with a fresh mindset was crucial, and to achieve my personal best in Garmisch feels incredible.”
Vonn completed the race 1.4 seconds behind Gut-Behrami, placing 13th, just behind her teammate Lauren Macuga. Vonn had previously struggled in her last two races, but managed to avoid falling after missing a gate in the downhill race on Saturday. Since returning in December after nearly six years of retirement, Vonn has been competing with a new titanium knee. She has indicated intentions to retire again after the Milan-Cortina Olympics scheduled for next year.
Last season, Gut-Behrami overtook Mikaela Shiffrin in the overall standings during the final two months, capitalizing on the American’s knee injury absence. Although she had a slow start to the current season, having missed the opening race in October, she steadily improved, achieving three second-place finishes in super-G before her Sunday victory. “It’s been an unusual start to the season; I was facing some struggles,” Gut-Behrami expressed. “I had to regain my confidence and find my rhythm on the skis again.”
With her recent win, Gut-Behrami has achieved at least one World Cup victory in 11 of the last 12 seasons, with the only exception being 2018-19. She has narrowed the gap to leader Brignone in the overall standings to just 70 points. Meanwhile, Shiffrin, who has been recovering from abdominal surgery for two months, is expected to return to competition for a night slalom in France on Thursday—the last women’s race before the world championships.
The race on Sunday experienced a 15-minute delay as organizers prepared the course following snow and rain overnight. During the event, Ariane Raedler had a fall after losing balance on a soft snow patch but quickly got back up and appeared unharmed.