Industry News
Federica Brignone delivered a career-defining victory the Sunday’s Super-G on Sunday, January 19, finally taming the storied slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. For years, Cortina d’Ampezzo had eluded Brignone, a venue where the Italian star faced repeated disappointment. While Brignone celebrated a long-awaited triumph, Lindsey Vonn’s return to the iconic venue known as her “Living Room” saw her skid out midway through, momentarily alarming fans before she confirmed she was uninjured. Rounding out the podium were Lara Gut-Behrami from Switzerland and her teammate Corinne Suter.
Brignone was nearly flawless, excelling across all but one sector to win by 0.58 seconds ahead of Lara Gut-Behrami. Corinne Suter, who suffered a season-ending crash at Cortina last year, got her redemption by claiming third place. Brignone’s performance extended her lead in the overall standings and placed her firmly in contention for next year’s Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. “This was my dream,” Brignone said after the race. “Everyone would say, ‘Cortina doesn’t suit you.’ To finally prove myself here is incredible.” The victory marked Brignone’s 31st World Cup win, tying her with Petra Vlhova and Erika Hess on the all-time list and reaffirming her status as Italy’s most successful female Alpine skier.
Gut-Behrami pushed hard to keep up but struggled with two errant jumps toward the end of the course, while Suter took advantage of favorable early conditions to secure her first podium finish since recovering from her devastating ACL injury from last year.
Amid Brignone’s celebratory day, Lindsey Vonn’s return to Cortina for her 400th World Cup start drew significant attention. The American legend was skiing strongly, with splits hinting at a potential top-five finish. Vonn had won in Cortina a total of 12 times—a record to this day—so expectations were high. However, midway through the course, Vonn’s skis were too close as she leaned heavily on her inside ski during a right turn, causing her to spin out at high speed. The scene initially alarmed viewers, particularly given Vonn’s recent knee replacement, however everyone looked relieved when she slammed her ski poles in frustration. She picked herself up and skied through the finish area and her fans cheered loudly for the crowd favorite.
The day brought solid results for the rest of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, led by Lauren Macuga’s 13th-place finish. Keely Cashman, Tricia Mangan, and Breezy Johnson all landed in the points, with Johnson making an impressive run from bib 51 to finish 25th on her 29th birthday. “I feel like it was some great skiing,” Macuga said. “There were a few too many mistakes, but I’m happy to have cracked the top 15.”
As the women’s World Cup tour heads to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, the stage is set for more high-stakes competition. Brignone’s Cortina victory has bolstered her confidence, while Vonn’s resilience continues to inspire.
