GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (Jan. 22, 2017) – In her first Audi FIS Ski World Cup super G race in almost a year, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) took a step in the right direction to regaining her super G race form with a top-10 finish Sunday.
Swiss Lara Gut took the victory Sunday on a bumpy, icy Kandahar track ahead of Austria’s Stephanie Venier, who scored her first career World Cup podium in second and Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein in third. Vonn, who finished ninth, led five American’s into the top 30, including Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) in 15th; Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) 27th; Anna Marno (Centennial, WY) 28th; and Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) in 30th. Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) just missed the points in 32nd.
“It was very bumpy and very icy,” Vonn said of the Kandahar track. “It’s very dark, so it was hard to get a good feeling on the snow, on this slope.
“I didn’t see Lara’s run. I’m sure she skied it very well. It really took some aggressive skiing today to win,” she added. “I didn’t have that today, but I congratulate all the top three finishers.”
Vonn, who won Saturday’s downhill in only her second race since returning from a pair of injuries, competed in her first super G race Sunday since February of 2016 when she won a super G during the alpine combined in Soldeu-El Tarter, Andorra. Now that she has one super G race in her legs, she’s ready to step it up next week at Cortina, Italy.
“I think it’s a good first step,” Vonn said of Sunday’s race. “In the downhill in Zauchensee, it took me one race to really get into it, so I think today was positive. I didn’t ski my best, I had some trouble with the ice, but I will train some more before Cortina – I love Cortina – and I’m really looking forward to next week.”
Vonn has good reason to love Cortina. Two years ago, she broke the all-time World Cup victory record in Cortina. Last season she broke Annemarie Moser-Proell’s World Cup dowhill win record there. Cortina is also the site of her first-ever World Cup podium, third in downhill in 2004.
With Sunday’s victory and a second place in Saturday’s downhill behind Vonn, Gut took 180 points out of Mikaela Shiffrin’s (Eagle-Vail, CO) overall World Cup lead. Shiffrin still holds a 135-point advantage heading into Tuesday’s World Cup giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy.
Watch the Kronplatz giant slalom live on NBCSports.com at 3:15 a.m. EST (first run) and 6:15 a.m. EST (second run).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Lindsey Vonn finished ninth in her first super G race in almost a year Sunday on the Kandahar course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
- Swiss Lara Gut won her 11th career World Cup super G race Sunday.
- Austria’s Stephanie Venier scored her first career World Cup podium, finishing second.
- Five Americans finished in the points Sunday, including Vonn, including Laurenne Ross in 15th; Breezy Johnson 27th; Anna Marno 28th; and Jackie Wiles in 30th.
- Road to Aspen: Swiss Lara Gut took another 100 points out of Mikaela Shiffrin’s overall World Cup lead with her victory Saturday. Following her second place finish in Saturday’s downhill, Gut now trails Shiffrin, who didn’t race Sunday, by 135 points heading into Tuesday’s giant slalom. Gut has also won all three super G races this season and leads the overall World Cup super G standings.
QUOTES
Lindsey Vonn
I think it’s a good first step. In the downhill in Zauchensee, it took me one race to really get into it, so I think today was positive. I didn’t ski my best, I had some trouble with the ice, but I will train some more before Cortina – I love Cortina – and I’m really looking forward to next week.
It was very bumpy and very icy. It’s very dark, so it was hard to get a good feeling on the snow, on this slope.
I didn’t see Lara’s run. I’m sure she skied it very well. It really took some aggressive skiing today to win. I didn’t have that today, but I congratulate all the top three finishers.
BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
All events streaming at www.nbcsports.com/live
Sunday, Jan. 22
6:30 p.m. – Women’s super G, Garmisch – Universal HD
Tuesday, Jan. 24
3:15 a.m. – Women’s giant slalom run 1, Kronplatz – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:15 a.m. – Women’s giant slalom run 2, Kronplatz – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:00 p.m. – Women’s giant slalom, Kronplatz – Universal HD
RESULTS
Women’s super G
