This past Saturday, the U.S. women’s alpine skiing team had a strong showing at the World Cup downhill race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Three American skiers finished in the top 11, although Lindsey Vonn was not one of them.
At 40 years old, Lindsey Vonn is making a comeback in hopes of qualifying for the 2026 Olympics. However, she faced challenges in her second consecutive race with a Did Not Finish (DNF) result. After a fall in Italy the previous week, she struggled again, exiting the course after losing balance with seven gates remaining.
Breezy Johnson led the U.S. contingent, finishing in fourth place, just six-hundredths of a second from the podium. This was particularly significant for Johnson, who has faced injuries and a 14-month suspension due to anti-doping violations over the past few years. Lauren Macuga finished sixth, and Jacqueline Wiles came in 11th.
Italian skier Federica Brignone claimed victory at the event with a time of 1:35.83. She was closely followed by Sofia Goggia, also from Italy, just one hundredth of a second behind. Corinne Suter from Switzerland secured third place.
Unfortunately, Vonn wasn’t the only American to have difficulties on this challenging track. Teammates Isabella Wright and Tricia Mangan both experienced falls, contributing to a total of seven skiers who did not finish the race.
On Sunday, a Super-G race is set to take place, marking the last World Cup speed event before the world championships in Saalbach, Austria, starting February 4.
This race was Vonn’s first since her crash at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Prior to her fall there, she was on track for a possible podium finish. Her time in the downhill did not yield the results she hoped for, as she finished 20th the day before her DNF.
Since returning to the World Cup circuit, Vonn’s recent results have been her most challenging yet. After an absence from racing since 2019, she initially showed promise by finishing 14th in St. Moritz and later sixth and fourth in St. Anton.
After retiring due to injury, Vonn underwent knee replacement surgery in 2024, which paved the way for her return. She rejoined the World Cup tour in December, showcasing her talents and fighting spirit with competitive results.
As she looks ahead, Vonn aims to regain her previous form and secure a spot on the Olympic team for next winter. She expressed to the Associated Press that the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games could be a fitting conclusion to her remarkable career.
Vonn has participated in four Olympic Games, clinching three medals, including a gold in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Throughout her career, she has faced numerous injuries, including a significant knee injury that prevented her from competing in the 2014 Olympics. In 2019, after the world championships, she officially stepped away from competitive skiing.
At the time of her retirement, she held the record for the most World Cup race wins for women, totaling 82. American skier Mikaela Shiffrin has since surpassed that record and is now looking to achieve her 100th World Cup win after a recent injury layoff.
(Top photo: Kerstin Joensson / AFP via Getty Images)
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