Lindsey Vonn Secures Seventh Podium Finish in Italy’s Super-G

At the age of 41, Lindsey Vonn continues to demonstrate remarkable consistency on the World Cup speed circuit. In a recent super-G race held in Tarvisio, Italy, Vonn secured second place, marking her seventh podium finish in just eight races this season. This achievement underscores her dominance, as no other skier has achieved more than three podiums in speed events this year.

Vonn’s performance places her in a strong position as a medal contender for the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, which commence in less than three weeks. Notably, Vonn’s “worst” result this season was a fourth-place finish, a statistic that further emphasizes her competitive edge. In comparison, Mikaela Shiffrin, who has achieved seven podiums in 14 technical races, has not matched Vonn’s consistency across all disciplines.

Race Highlights and Challenging Conditions

During the super-G, Vonn was narrowly defeated by Emma Aicher, a 19-year-old German skier who finished just 0.27 seconds ahead. Aicher’s victory marked her second win of the season, while former Olympic champion Ester Ledecka claimed third place, finishing 0.94 seconds behind Vonn. Reflecting on the race, Vonn acknowledged the challenging visibility conditions, stating, “It was tough conditions with the visibility, but I’m really happy to be on the podium again.” She added, “Of course, I’m close to another win, but it is what it is. I think I’ll save the hundredths for Cortina.”

Another notable racer, Alice Robinson from New Zealand, faced a setback during the event. After winning two giant slaloms and a super-G this season, Robinson crashed into the final gate but managed to get back up, appearing to avoid serious injury despite looking shaken. The race was complicated by fog in the upper section of the Prampero course, which made navigation difficult for competitors.

Upcoming Events and Athlete Updates

Vonn led Aicher at every checkpoint but ultimately lost time on the final gates, marking Aicher’s fourth career victory, which includes two downhills and a super-G. Aicher, who competes in all four disciplines, was born in Sweden to a Swedish mother and a German father. Meanwhile, Ledecka celebrated her first podium of the season, having previously won Olympic golds in both snowboarding and skiing at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Following this race, the women’s circuit remains in Italy, with the next event scheduled for the Kronplatz giant slalom on January 30-31, 2024. This will be one of the final opportunities for competitors to prepare for the Olympics. Additionally, the Italian team announced that Federica Brignone, the defending overall World Cup champion, is set to return to the squad for the Kronplatz race. Brignone has been recovering from multiple leg injuries sustained in April and will make a final decision after testing the course on Monday.

As the excitement builds towards the Winter Olympics, Vonn’s performance continues to captivate fans and raise expectations for her upcoming races.