Germany's Emma Aicher denied American veteran Lindsey Vonn back to back glory when she beat her for victory in a World Cup downhill in Switzerland on Saturday. Vonn, 41, had claimed a first victory since coming out of retirement last year, and in almost eight years overall, with a stunning dominant performance in a first St Moritz downhill on Friday.
Germany's Emma Aicher denied American veteran Lindsey Vonn back to back glory when she beat her for victory in a World Cup downhill in Switzerland on Saturday.
Vonn, 41, had claimed a first victory since coming out of retirement last year, and in almost eight years overall, with a stunning dominant performance in a first St Moritz downhill on Friday.
She led again on the same hill on Saturday when she came down with bib 11, moving five-hundredths of a second ahead of Italian 2018 Olympic champion Sofia Goggia.
But any dreams of an 84th career success ended when Aicher, skiing right after Vonn, crossed the line with a lead of .24 of a second for a third career success ahead of Vonn and Goggia.
Allrounder Aicher was fifth on Friday and also has a third-place slalom finish this season which culminates in February at the Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo.
"I am just really happy with how I skied today. I tried to ski clean. I am a bit surprised because I didn't train speed a lot," Aicher said.
The Olympics are also Vonn's big aim as she looks to add to her downhill gold from 2010 and two bronze medals.
She retired in 2019 but returned last year, with Saturday's result her third podium finish in the comeback, the first coming in a super-g in March, to confirm her good form and that Friday's success was no fluke.
But ambitious Vonn told Eurosport that "I am not entirely satisfied" as she lost some time in the lower section where she had clinched her win by almost a second on Friday.
"Yesterday was so emotional. I fell on my hip in the middle of the course and wasn't pushing the same way. It happens, that's ski racing. I am happy with second but am someone who always wants to do better," she said.
Vonn missed an 84th career victory but she did record a women's record 410th World Cup start, moving one ahead of former Austrian great Renate Goetschl.
A super-g is scheduled for Sunday in St Moritz where Vonn is set to face compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin who has dethroned her as the most successful woman in the sport and with 104 World Cup wins is the most successful alpine skier of all time.
"On to the next one tomorrow. I have been better in super-g training. I will sleep a bit more and be ready for tomorrow," Vonn said.
Category: General Sports
