In SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria (AP) — The Austrian skier, Stephanie Venier, claimed victory in the women’s super-G event at the Alpine skiing world championship on Thursday. Following closely behind, Federica Brignone of Italy secured the silver medal with a mere 0.10-second difference, while Lauren Macuga of the United States and Kajsa Vickhoff Lie of Norway shared the bronze medals, trailing by 0.24 seconds from the top spot.
The renowned Lindsey Vonn encountered a mishap during her run when she inadvertently caught a gate with her right arm, leading to her early exit from the race. This marked Vonn’s first appearance at the world championships in six years. Despite the unfortunate incident, Vonn managed to avoid a fall and brought her run to a halt, although she appeared to be in discomfort as she held her arm. The gate’s impact caused her forearm to be pressed against her elbow, restricting its movement and exerting pressure on her shoulder.
A sense of astonishment swept through the spectators in the vicinity as they witnessed the unexpected turn of events, followed by a hushed concern for Vonn’s well-being. Demonstrating resilience, Vonn completed her descent down the course and acknowledged the crowd with a wave.
Having retired in 2019 after securing a bronze in the downhill event in Are, Sweden, Vonn made a comeback to the skiing circuit this season with a new titanium right knee. The race commenced under predominantly sunny skies, although clouds started to roll in after the initial half-hour mark. By the time Vonn took to the course in the 30th position, more sections of the track were shrouded in shadow.
Stephanie Venier, who previously clinched the junior world championship title in super-G back in 2013, had only one senior medal – a silver in downhill from the 2017 world championships – to her name before claiming the top spot in Thursday’s super-G. Overwhelmed by her victory, Venier expressed her nerves leading up to the race and credited her success to what she believed was a positive sign.
With three World Cup wins to her credit, including a triumph in a super-G event in Switzerland a year earlier, Venier’s unexpected victory added another milestone to her skiing career. Notably, the opening race of the world championships coincided with the exact one-year countdown to the commencement of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
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