Lindsey Vonn’s Comeback at Ski World Championships Ends in Crash

Lindsey Vonn’s much-anticipated return to the Ski World Championships was abruptly cut short due to a painful crash. Frustrated by her own performance, German skier Kira Weidle-Winkelmann expressed her despair as both Vonn and Weidle-Winkelmann began their participation in the event with disappointment. They had to leave the competition after Stephanie Venier from Austria clinched victory in the Super-G.

The 40-year-old Vonn shocked the 14,500 spectators at the finish stadium in Saalbach when she lost control during a right turn and collided with a gate. This incident caused her right arm to be jerked backward, resulting in a sudden stop amidst a cloud of snow. Vonn immediately clutched her shoulder but managed to slide down the hill and wave to fans.

„I am okay,“ Vonn stated in an interview with Eurosport. „I hit a nerve when I struck the gate and lost feeling in my arm.“ Fortunately, she noted that the sensation was returning. Vonn admitted to being in poor health prior to the race, having contracted an infection and sharing a photo with an inhaler just a day before the Super-G event.

Mixed Emotions for German Team

Weidle-Winkelmann experienced emotional turmoil after finishing in a disappointing 23rd place, trailing by 1.89 seconds. „I just want to scream out loud right now,“ she said as she left the impressive finish area. She realized early on the course that she couldn’t gain momentum and was stunned upon seeing her time displayed on the scoreboard.

Conversely, teammate Emma Aicher celebrated her sixth-place finish almost as much as if she had won a medal. „I came here so far from the top 10,“ she recalled. „I am very satisfied with my skiing today and that I could show it from start to finish.“ Aicher missed out on bronze by a slim margin of just 28 hundredths of a second, which went to the tied competitors Kajsa Vickhoff Lie from Norway and Lauren Macuga from the USA. For Lie, it was a strange déjà vu, as she had also shared third place in the 2023 World Championships with Austrian skier Cornelia Hütter.

Venier Brings Joy to Austrian Skiing

New world champion Venier claimed victory with a stunning performance, finishing just a tenth of a second ahead of Italy’s Federica Brignone. Her triumph relieved the Austrian skiing community, which had faced concerns about not winning any gold two years ago in Courchevel and feared another disappointing outcome at their home event. „It feels unreal,“ Venier told ORF after her victory.

As Venier shed tears of joy on the podium, 22-year-old Macuga beamed with delight at her unexpected success, receiving congratulations from teammate Vonn. This return to the World Championship stage was not what Vonn had envisioned. During downhill training, the former overall World Cup champion, world champion, and Olympic champion appeared to struggle significantly.

Men’s Super-G Scheduled for Friday

Vonn and Weidle-Winkelmann will have another opportunity to redeem themselves in the downhill event on Saturday at 11:30 AM. Before that, the men will compete in the Super-G on Friday at the same time, featuring German veterans Romed Baumann, young skier Luis Vogt, and Simon Jocher, who plans to compete despite severe pain from a herniated disc and a heel contusion.