GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Federica Brignone edged out teammate Sofia Goggia by the smallest possible margin for an Italian 1-2 finish in a women’s World Cup downhill on Saturday, while Lindsey Vonn missed a gate near the bottom of the course and failed to finish.
In a clash of contrasting racing styles, Brignone had a technically well controlled run down the Kandahar course to finish 0.01 seconds ahead of Goggia, who lost considerable time early on before going all in for a gutsy second part.
The result marked the 32nd career win for Brignone but only her second in downhill, two weeks after her maiden triumph in the sport’s fastest discipline in St. Anton, Austria.
At 34 years and six months, Brignone improved the record she already held as the oldest race winner in women’s World Cup history.
Swiss skier Corinne Suter was 0.19 behind in third, followed by Breezy Johnson who was 0.06 further back in fourth for the American’s best result since sitting out last season for violations of anti-doping rules.
Sixth-placed Lauren Macuga, who earned her first World Cup win two weeks ago, and Jacqueline Wiles in 11th added to a strong showing from the U.S. ski team.
It was the last downhill before the Feb. 4-16 world championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria.
It’s Vonn’s second straight DNF in her sixth race back since returning to ski racing this season at age 40 with a new titanium knee. The American fell but avoided injury last week in a super-G in Italy on the course to be used at next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Last week, Vonn told the AP that she plans to retire again after competing in one final Olympics in 2026.
Vonn had won five of the previous seven World Cup downhills she raced in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, including the last four between 2016 and 2018, and never finished worse than seventh. She won silver when the world championships were held there in 2011.
The race was interrupted for over half an hour after Nina Ortlieb slid into the safety nets and needed to be taken off the hill by helicopter with an apparent injury to her right lower leg.
The Austrian skier, who was heard screaming after her crash, had returned to the circuit last month after a year off to recover from breaking the same leg.
Isabella Wright had a full-speed crash into the nets and the American clutched her left leg, but clicked back into her skis after being attended my medics and slid down the course.
A super-G on the same course is scheduled for Sunday.
