Icons etching their names in the history books to emerging talents lighting up the slopes and a few surprises along the way the 2024/25 women’s Audi FIS World Cup season delivered unforgettable moments.
As the off-season begins, we take a look back at the standout athletes and defining stories of a truly exceptional winter.
Federica Brignone: Glory and heartbreak for ‘La Tigre’
For the timeless Federica Brignone (ITA/Rossignol), this was a season to remember and one that ended all too abruptly.
At 34, Brignone kicked off her campaign by becoming the oldest woman to win a World Cup race in Sölden, and then went on to break her own record an incredible nine more times. Her tally of 10 wins was a personal best and helped her secure three Crystal Globes including the overall title, which she won by over 300 points, along with the Downhill and Giant Slalom crowns. She also finished runner-up in Super G.
Brignone claimed victories across all her disciplines, notably earning her first-ever World Cup Downhill win in St. Anton and repeating the feat in Garmisch. In between, she also struck Giant Slalom gold and Super G silver at the Saalbach World Championships.
Reflecting on her success, she said, “I never imagined I could ski like this this year it feels magical.”
But her fairy-tale run came to a crashing halt when she suffered a serious injury an ACL tear and multiple leg fractures during a fall at the Italian national championships. Once a top medal contender for Milano Cortina 2026, she’s now in a race against time just to be ready for the Games.
Shiffrin’s rollercoaster season and the Dalmatian celebration
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic) began the season just three wins short of becoming the first ski racer in history to reach 100 World Cup victories. She quickly picked up two Slalom wins in November, raising expectations for a hometown celebration in Killington.
But fate had other plans. While leading in the Killington Giant Slalom, she crashed and suffered a puncture wound that sidelined her for two months. Returning in January, a rusty Shiffrin finished 10th in Slalom and narrowly missed the podium at Worlds, though she did win her ninth world title in the new Team Combined with Breezy Johnson.
Struggling with confidence in Giant Slalom, Shiffrin placed 25th and didn’t qualify in Sestriere only to bounce back the next day with a clinical Slalom win to notch her landmark 100th victory.
“I never dreamed of something this big,” she said. “I always focused on good turns, and getting better day by day. That dream is big enough for me.”
She capped the season with win No. 101 at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, where fans dressed up as characters from 101 Dalmatians in tribute to her incredible milestone.
Gut-Behrami rediscovers joy, finishes strong
Following a dominant 2023/24 season, Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI/Head) had a rocky start to this campaign after a knee injury kept her out of Sölden. She struggled to find consistency and rhythm and managed just one win before the World Cup Finals.
But in Sun Valley, everything clicked. Gut-Behrami won both the Super G and Giant Slalom, securing the Super G globe and rekindling her love for racing.
“Here in Sun Valley, I found the joy of skiing again everything feels easy when you’re having fun,” she said.
Her final GS win also placed her in an elite club: the sixth woman to reach 100 World Cup podiums and the only one with 10+ wins in three different disciplines. As she approaches what may be her last year on tour, the reigning Olympic Super G champion looks far from ready to pass the torch.
A new generation rises
With Shiffrin sidelined and Petra Vlhova (SVK/Rossignol) missing the season entirely, young talents seized their moment.
Zrinka Ljutic (CRO/Atomic) and Camille Rast (SUI/Head) emerged as Slalom stars, with Ljutic winning the Crystal Globe and Rast taking world championship gold. The 21-year-old Ljutic scored three wins to edge out both Rast and Katharina Liensberger (AUT/Rossignol).
“I always believed I could fight for the globe and suddenly, it became real,” said Ljutic.
Meanwhile, the speed events saw the rise of Lauren Macuga (USA/Rossignol), who claimed a surprise Super G victory in St. Anton, and Emma Aicher (GER/Head), who secured wins in both Downhill and Super G.
“In speed, I never expected this,” Aicher admitted. “I just wanted to ski well, I didn’t think I’d be winning.”
Lindsey Vonn’s stunning comeback
While the spotlight shone on new faces, a familiar one returned in dramatic fashion. Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head), 82-time World Cup winner and 2010 Olympic Downhill champ, made a surprise comeback at 40 after nearly six years away.
Despite limited expectations, Vonn steadily improved placing 14th, then sixth, then fourth before a string of inconsistency threatened her momentum. But in the final Super G of the season in Sun Valley, she delivered, finishing second to Gut-Behrami and earning her 138th World Cup podium and her first in more than seven years.
“I finally put it all together,” Vonn said. “This is where I knew I belonged I’ve still got the speed.”
Now, Vonn and her fellow competitors will take a well-earned break, before gearing up for what promises to be a legendary Olympic season.
In just six months, the journey begins again with fresh rivalries, big dreams, and Olympic gold waiting at the finish line.
Bring it on.
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