Industry News
Breezy Johnson entered the downhill race in Kvitfjell, Norway, on Friday, February 28, with high expectations resting on the freshly crowned Downhill World Champion’s shoulders. The American had also won Thursday’s downhill training, and she did not disappoint, securing her eighth career World Cup podium with a third-place finish. Austria’s Cornelia “Conny” Hütter took the victory, while Germany’s Emma Aicher finished second, marking the Swedish-German skier’s first-ever World Cup podium—an impressive milestone in what has been a strong season for the 21-year-old.
Laura Gauche, starting first in bib 1, set a solid benchmark with a time of 1:33.73. Jacqui Wiles, the first American on the course in bib 2, was significantly quicker out of the gate, leading Gauche by 0.61 seconds on the top section. Despite some minor mistakes from pushing the limits, Wiles’ aggressive approach paid off, as she crossed the finish line more than a full second ahead of the French skier, ultimately securing a strong eighth-place result. The next two racers, Ariana Rädler and Marta Bassino, couldn’t challenge Wiles’ time, but Slovakia’s Ilka Stuhec, in bib 5, delivered a powerful run to undercut Wiles’ mark by 0.13 seconds.
- Related: Podium for Team USA’s Jacqui Wiles & More Crashes at the Downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Stuhec’s lead was short-lived, as current overall season leader Federica Brignone, in bib 6, took over with a time 0.20 seconds faster. Brignone has been dominant this season, with eight World Cup wins and a World Championship title from Saalbach earlier this month. Czechia’s Ester Ledecká finished 0.48 seconds behind Brignone, while Austria’s Stephanie Venier, the recent Super-G World Champion, struggled and finished more than a second off the pace.
However, Venier’s teammate, Conny Hütter—the 2023-24 Downhill Crystal Globe winner—rose to the challenge, delivering a brilliantly executed, aggressive run that shattered Brignone’s time by 0.51 seconds. That time proved unbeatable for the remainder of the afternoon. Even Italy’s speed queen, Sofia Goggia, couldn’t match Hütter, finishing 0.07 seconds ahead of Brignone but still 0.44 seconds off the lead. With the top 15 racers having finished, it seemed as though the podium would be decided among Hütter, Goggia, and Brignone.
Then, all eyes turned to Breezy Johnson in bib 19. The American skied an aggressive run, battling through some minor mistakes while maintaining speed throughout the course. Though she trailed Hütter by 0.15 seconds at the top, Johnson carried exceptional speed into the bottom section and crossed the finish line just 0.40 seconds behind Hütter, bumping Brignone off the podium. “I made some mistakes,” Johnson admitted post-race. “I’m kind of surprised by the result. I feel like I’ve had good skiing here. All things considered, you’ve got to push things, you’ve got to try things out, you’ve got to risk things,” she added. And the risk paid off.
For the next eight racers, the podium order remained unchanged—until Emma Aicher took to the course in bib 27. The young German, who has come close to a World Cup podium several times this season, was determined to make her mark. Despite the deteriorating course conditions, Aicher was just 0.06 seconds behind Hütter at the top section. She lost some time in the middle but executed the jumps and rollers with precision, ultimately setting the fastest speed on the lower section of the course. Aicher crossed the line just 0.15 seconds behind Hütter, securing an emotional first career World Cup podium. “It felt pretty good,” Aicher said after the race. “I thought, ‘Maybe it’s good, maybe not.’ But it was fun. The course is nice—it has a little bit of everything. In training, I had a plan, and I could follow it. I just thought I’d do the same today.”
It was a strong day for Team USA, with four athletes finishing in the top 15. Lauren Macuga (bib 20) and Isabella Wright (bib 21) placed 15th and 13th, respectively, while Johnson’s podium capped off a successful race for the American squad. Wright earned valuable FIS points with a 23rd-place finish. Haley Cutler (bib 50) finished 33rd, just outside the top 30 needed for points. Meanwhile, Keely Cashman, Tricia Mangan, and Mary Bocock were unable to finish their runs.
The action in Kvitfjell continues with another downhill race on Saturday, March 1, followed by a Super-G on Sunday, March 2.
