Lindsey Vonn Secures Third Place in Val d’Isère World Cup Downhill

Lindsey Vonn achieved an impressive third place finish on Saturday in the World Cup downhill race held in Val d’Isère, France. The event was won by Austria’s Cornelia Huetter, marking her first downhill victory of the season. This performance adds to Vonn’s remarkable start in the Milan Cortina Olympic season, as she has now achieved a hat trick of podium finishes, including a win and a second place over the past nine days of racing in Switzerland and France.

Huetter consistently showcased her speed after the first time split, reaching a top speed of 126 kph (78 mph). She finished the race with a time that was 0.26 seconds faster than Kira Weidle-Winkelmann, who took second place, and 0.35 seconds ahead of Vonn, who has been a dominant force in the sport for over a decade. Canadian skier Val Grenier from St. Isidore finished the race in 24th place, clocking a time of 1:43.65.

Vonn’s performance not only added to her accolades but also extended her lead in the season-long World Cup downhill standings. On a day marked by challenging visibility due to overcast conditions, the 2018 Olympic champion Sofia Goggia posed a significant threat to Huetter. Goggia, starting with bib number 14, was the fastest through the halfway point but struggled with balance after a turn, ultimately finishing in eighth place, 0.62 seconds behind Huetter.

The atmosphere at Val d’Isère was electric as Vonn, visibly concerned early in her run, threw her arms out wide upon noticing she was behind Weidle-Winkelmann’s time. Despite her disappointment, she later congratulated Huetter with smiles and a warm embrace as the Austrian celebrated in the leader’s box.

Huetter’s victory marks her fifth downhill win among her ten career World Cup victories. Having also won the season-long title in 2024, she is poised to be a strong contender for medals in the upcoming Olympic downhill event scheduled for February 8, 2024, at the prestigious Cortina d’Ampezzo. Huetter’s recent performances, including two fourth-place finishes at world championships since the 2022 Beijing Olympics, further establish her as a top competitor.

The next event on the World Cup calendar is a super-G race scheduled for Sunday in Val d’Isère. Last week, Vonn finished fourth in the same discipline at St. Moritz, where New Zealand’s Alice Robinson claimed victory. As Vonn aims for her fifth Olympic appearance, her journey continues to captivate fans and followers of alpine skiing.