SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — Austria’s Alpine skiing team has kicked off the world championships with a bang, securing its first individual gold medal in the women’s super-G, held in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. Stephanie Venier emerged victorious in front of a cheering crowd of 14,500 spectators on Thursday, overcoming strong pre-race competitors. Lindsey Vonn, one of the sport’s biggest names, had a disappointing run after hooking a gate and failing to finish.
“I race for myself first, but it feels amazing to say ‘We are world champion.’ That resonates well,” Venier commented, highlighting the significance of her win for the Austrian team. Just a couple of days prior, she had faced an early exit in the parallel team competition, but her stellar performance in the super-G sparked celebrations among the Austrian fans.
Venier, who previously won a junior world title in super-G and earned a silver medal in downhill at the 2017 championships, expressed gratitude for the support she received from the home crowd. “It’s just incredible to perform in front of these fans,” she remarked. “Nothing compares to this experience.”
Having grown and matured as an athlete, Venier, often affectionately referred to as “Aunt Gucci” for her fondness for designer handbags, emphasized the diversity in her life, with each bag holding a personal story. As a three-time World Cup winner, she has developed her skills significantly over the years.
Entering the world championships, the Austrian team had faced a difficult season, with no wins in men’s World Cup events and only two victories by Cornelia Huetter in the women’s category. However, the local conditions and atmosphere seemed to offer a different narrative, bolstering the chances of success, as declared by Christian Scherer, the CEO of the Austrian ski federation. He noted the overwhelming turnout in the small Alpine village near Salzburg, anticipating even more attendees for the upcoming downhill events. “The world championships operate under their own dynamics. This could signal a breakthrough, increasing our chances of podium finishes,” Scherer said, indicating a shift in momentum for the team.
Italian skier Federica Brignone finished just 0.10 seconds behind Venier, claiming the silver medal, while American Lauren Macuga and Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie shared the bronze, just 0.24 seconds off the lead. Macuga, competing in her first major championship, continued to make waves this season after a strong performance at a World Cup event last month in St. Anton. “I knew I had it in me; I just needed to give my all today,” she stated, underlining her competitive spirit.
In a frustrating turn, Vonn’s run ended early when she hooked a gate with her right arm roughly 25 seconds into her race. “I’m alright. I just hit the nerve and lost feeling in my arm, but it’s gradually coming back,” she explained after her long-awaited return to the world stage, having not competed in six years. Despite the setback, she expressed excitement for her teammate Macuga, praising her exceptional skiing.
Mikaela Shiffrin is also on the comeback trail following abdominal surgery in December and intends to participate in the giant slalom and slalom events next week.
Goggia, another top contender and Brignone’s teammate, failed to maintain her momentum and missed the podium by a narrow margin, finishing fifth, six-hundredths of a second behind. Meanwhile, Lara Gut-Behrami, the current leader in the World Cup super-G standings, experienced difficulty similar to Vonn’s and ended up in eighth place after finishing 0.70 seconds off the mark.
Tragedy struck for Ricarda Haaser, who fell during her run and sustained injuries to her knee, prompting immediate surgery, as reported by the Austrian ski federation.
Thursday’s race marked the beginning of individual competitions at these championships, falling exactly one year before the opening ceremony for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. The next event on the schedule is the men’s super-G, set for Friday.
