Lindsey Vonn Returns to World Cup Downhill, Finishes Sixth in St. Anton

ST. ANTON, Austria (AP) — Lindsey Vonn, the most decorated female downhill skier in World Cup history, made a triumphant return to the slopes Saturday, finishing sixth in her first downhill race in six years. The 40-year-old American, competing with a titanium knee, clocked a time just 0.58 seconds behind race winner Federica Brignone of Italy.

Vonn, wearing bib No. 32, initially placed fifth but was bumped to sixth after Swiss debutant Malorie Blanc, 21, stunned the field with a second-place finish. Blanc, who was not born when Vonn began her World Cup career, finished just 0.07 seconds behind Brignone.

“That was fun,” Vonn told broadcaster Eurosport. “I still made a couple of mistakes. I know I can be faster. All things considered, it was a great start.”

Brignone, 34, secured her first-ever World Cup downhill victory, adding to her 30 career wins. The Italian, a five-time downhill runner-up, celebrated her breakthrough with a determined smile. “A super-exciting race,” Brignone said. “Malorie was really fast in training, Lindsey too, so I was waiting for them.”

Blanc, who had only one previous World Cup start, was embraced by teammates after her remarkable performance. “It’s unbelievable, but after, you have to keep your feet on the ground to continue like that,” Blanc said.

Vonn, who holds a record 43 World Cup downhill wins, last competed in a downhill in January 2019, finishing ninth at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The Italian resort will host races next weekend and serve as the venue for women’s Alpine events at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The race took place under ideal conditions, with sunny skies and temperatures of -8 Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit). The Karl Schranz course was shortened to 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) due to heavy snowfall earlier in the week.

Vonn, who won at St. Anton in 2007, is scheduled to compete in a super-G on Sunday before heading to Cortina. “I feel a little bit more confident and comfortable in downhill than I do in super-G,” she said. “And I know this hill really well.”

Other notable performances included Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic finishing third, 0.18 seconds behind Brignone, and American Lauren Macuga placing ninth. Defending overall champion Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland struggled, finishing 13th.

The race marked a compelling chapter in women’s downhill skiing, with three generations of athletes delivering a thrilling competition.