After achieving her first podium finish in the Alpine Ski World Cup yesterday, 21-year-old all-rounder Emma Aicher celebrated her first World Cup victory today in Kvitfjell. The 22-year-old US skier Lauren Macuga finished in second place, just 0.03 seconds behind Aicher. Yesterday's winner, Cornelia Hütter, rounded out the podium, finishing 0.19 seconds off the pace.
It's the first German World Cup victory in the Downhill since Viktoria Rebensburg won in 2020 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Since then, only Lena Dürr had been able to celebrate a German women's World Cup victory in the Slalom at Spindleruv Mlyn in January 2023.
"I'm quite surprised; it didn't feel as good as yesterday. However, I believe I managed to hit the crucial spots where you can gain speed. I'm really happy. I was able to follow my plan very well," Aicher said.
Lauren Macuga also had good reason to celebrate, taking her first podium in a World Cup Downhill.
"I don't know. I'm just happy that I can ski as well in the Downhill as I can in the Super-G. We knew it would be a close race. I especially wanted to nail the bottom after my close call yesterday, and I nailed it down here, there was no doubt in my mind. I can't be sad, Emma skied a phenomenal run," Macuga said.
32-year-old Cornelia Hütter finished in third place after losing her chance of victory shortly before the finish on the last jump.
"Everything was decided from the last intermediate time to the finish. With my run I'm not that satisfied (as) yesterday, but for sure when it's going to be a podium, I'm happy," Hütter said.
The fight for the title in the Downhill ramps up after the two Downhills in Kvitfjell. Federica Brignone still leads the standings with 384 Downhill points, Cornelia Hütter is second (368), 16 points behind Brignone, and Sofia Goggia is third with 348, 36 points behind her teammate.
Brignone currently leads the Overall standings with 1,094 points, 231 points ahead of Lara Gut-Behrami, who has 863 points. She is pursuing her second Big Crystal Globe, having previously won it in the 2019-2020 season.
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