Sofia Goggia confirmed her favorite role in Cortina. She claimed today her third World Cup win in Cortina d'Ampezzo, after winning the Downhill event on 2022 and 2018. Goggia won her fourth Downhill race of the season in the Olympia delle Tofane ahead of Slovenia's Ilka Stuhec (+0.13), and Germany's Kira Weidle (+0.36).
It's her 21st World Cup Win. Among Italian skiers, only Dominik Paris (17) has won more World Cup Downhill events than Goggia (16). On the all-time women's list for most World Cup wins in this discipline, Goggia is in fifth place tied with Katja Seizinger.
Sofia Goggia has won 12 of the last 17 World Cup Downhill races she participated in.
Alpine skiers from Italy have won each women's World Cup Downhill race in 2022-2023 (Sofia Goggia 4, Elena Curtoni 1). The last time a country won the first five Downhill races of the season was in 2009-2010 when Lindsey Vonn won five in a row.
Goggia (480) tops the World Cup Downhill rankings this season by over 208 points over ilka Stuhec (272). Goggia has won the downhill crystal globe in both the last two full seasons.
"I'm coming from a really tough weekend. Basically I came here and I felt good and I was back to my best feelings, I didn't have any ghosts in my mind. I was pretty much focused about what I wanted to do and how I wanted to ski. I had really a solid run but I'm well aware that I made some little mistakes. I know that in the first section I wasn't fast, but I think maybe with my injured hand I cannot push at the start. However, I am obviously happy with the result. Tomorrow is another race and, as we know, the next race is always the most important one", Goggia said.
Ilka Stuhec achieved today her second podium of the season. The double Downhill World Champion at St. Moritz 2017 and Are 2019, finished second in the Downhill in St. Mortiz on 17 December to become the oldest podium finisher in a women's World Cup Downhill race since Lindsey Vonn win in Åre on 14 March 2018 at age 33.
"My run was not that perfect. There is no place for mistakes, you need to push and then sometimes mistakes happen. The conditions were perfect, the visibility for the first starters was not always perfect but that is part of the game. In the second downhill tomorrow I don’t want to make the mistakes I made today", said Stuhec.
Kira Weidle reached her second podium of the season in third place. It is her sixth World Cup Downhill podium.
"It was a bit challenging today with the visibility. We had flat light. But I skied clean and solid. This is my second third place in downhill this season. I am pleased, but I want to do even better, and I am really happy I get a second chance tomorrow. Goggia is not unbeatable", said Weidle.