Lindsey Vonn continued her return to competitive skiing on Sunday with a commendable fourth-place finish in a thrilling super-G race for the American team in St. Anton, Austria. Following her sixth-place finish in the downhill event the day before, the 40-year-old Vonn made history by becoming the oldest woman to secure a top-four finish in a World Cup competition, as reported by The Athletic. The race was ultimately won by 22-year-old Lauren Macuga, marking her as the first American to triumph in a super-G event on the St. Anton mountain.
Expressing her elation, Macuga exclaimed, “I can’t believe it, this is so exciting! I don’t think anything has settled in. I am waiting for it to hit me. This is something I have been dreaming about forever.” Although Vonn is no stranger to success, having stood on the World Cup podium 82 times, including 22 victories in super-G, she was equally thrilled with the day’s events. “It was a crazy run today. It was really bumpy, it was sunny, then it got dark,” Vonn shared. “But it was a really good step forward. This is something I am really proud of and I am also really proud of Lauren. It is really nice to be a part of such a fun team. It’s great to see another American on top of the podium.”
Looking ahead, Vonn has her sights set on making her fifth Olympic appearance and competing in the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. The upcoming World Cup downhill and super-G races in Cortina, Italy, will serve as a crucial test leading up to the Olympics. “I think I’m in a good place. I really wanted to keep building every day on my results and I think it’s perfect timing coming into Cortina,” Vonn remarked confidently. “I feel really confident. My equipment is getting better every day. I just have to get that last 10 or 15 percent that I know I can get to. I have a lot of confidence in Cortina so I hope I can put everything together there.”
In the super-G event in St. Anton, Macuga clinched victory by a margin of 0.68 seconds over Stephanie Venier of Austria, with Italy’s Federica Brignone securing the third spot on the podium. Vonn finished the race 1.24 seconds behind Macuga, further solidifying the American team’s strong performance.
