KVITFJELL, Norway (AP) — Austria’s Cornelia Huetter secured her second downhill victory of the season on Friday, reigniting the competition for the World Cup downhill title. She edged out Germany’s Emma Aicher by 0.15 seconds, with Aicher achieving her first-ever World Cup podium finish at just 21 years old.
Downhill world champion Breezy Johnson finished 0.40 seconds behind in third, still in pursuit of her maiden World Cup win. Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn, returning to competition at 40 with a titanium knee, placed 13th, 1.15 seconds off the lead.
Huetter rebounded from a disappointing world championship performance, where she finished fourth in downhill and 10th in super-G. Reflecting on her win, she acknowledged the mental challenge of refocusing after the worlds. “It was really tough two weeks ago. I had to rediscover my mindset and my rhythm,” she said.
The Austrian, who previously won the season opener in Beaver Creek, Colorado, has now closed the gap to downhill leader Federica Brignone to just 26 points, with three races remaining. Brignone, a two-time downhill winner this season, finished fifth, just behind Italian teammate Sofia Goggia, fresh off consecutive giant slalom victories.
Breezy Johnson, who had set the fastest time in training, admitted to taking significant risks during the race. “I was a little surprised by the result,” she said. “I made a few mistakes in the middle.” This marked her first World Cup podium of the season and the eighth of her career.
Among other notable performances, American Jacqueline Wiles finished eighth, securing her second top-10 downhill result of the season. Vonn and Lauren Macuga rounded out a strong showing for the U.S., placing in the top 15. Vonn, who posted the fastest time in one section of the course, continues her comeback after six years away from the sport.
The competition saw challenging conditions, with harder snow following a freezing night, leading to higher speeds and demanding precise turns. The final competitor, Mary Bocock, suffered a dramatic crash after a jump, losing a ski and triggering her airbag. Fortunately, she was able to stand up quickly and appeared uninjured.
Kvitfjell, a regular venue for men’s races, has rarely hosted women’s downhill events, with just one in the past 22 years won by Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie in 2023. The action continues with another downhill race on Saturday, followed by a super-G on Sunday.
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