Stephanie Venier was crowned Super-G World Champion in the first individual decision in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The 31-year-old Tyrolean claimed gold in splendid weather with a 0.10-second lead over Italy's Federica Brignone. Bronze was shared by the young American Lauren Macuga and Kajsa Vickhoff Lie from Norway (+0.24). With the first gold for the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) athletes in Saalbach, the Austrian team is already more successful than two years ago.

Second World Championship Medal for Venier

It is the eighth World Championship gold medal for an Austrian woman in the Super-G, the first since Nicole Schmidhofer in 2017 in St. Moritz. Thirty-four years after Ulrike Maier, another local triumphed in the Super-G at a Saalbach World Championship, on the course now named after Maier, who tragically passed away in 1994. The favorites Cornelia Hütter (10th/+0.91), Sofia Goggia (5th), and Lara Gut-Behrami (8th) went home empty-handed. Ariane Rädler (+1.80) struggled with the course once again, and Ricarda Haaser did not finish.

"I was extremely nervous at the start today, didn't know how to handle it. Apparently, it was a good omen," said Venier on ORF. It is her second World Championship medal after downhill silver in 2017 in St. Moritz. On Thursday, she excelled on a very fast, downhill-like Super-G set by Austrian USA coach Alexander Hödlmoser. US superstar Lindsey Vonn could not capitalize on her coach's groundwork with start number 30 and crashed after a few seconds.

Haaser Crashed

Haaser started with the 3 from an Austrian perspective, but crashed with a backward lean upon landing after a jump. The Tyrolean all-rounder then cautiously slid down into the valley on her own and had her knee examined. Brignone with the 6 set a new benchmark as the first top favorite and celebrated exuberantly at the finish. Venier squeezed out an additional tenth with top speed after the panorama jump.

Gut-Behrami couldn't keep up with the further line and missed the chance to become the first woman to win four Super-G medals at World Championships. Goggia drove as usual with a knife between her teeth but made mistakes. Ester Ledecka became more dangerous, being just 2/100 behind Venier after a minute, but lost everything in the finish. Macuga's run also had everyone on edge.

Vickhoff Lie as in the Last Ski World Championship

Hütter, on the other hand, did not have an optimal run. After difficulties at the panorama jump, the co-favorite's deficit gradually grew to nine tenths. "There are days when you lose and there are days when others win," said Hütter, analyzing - briefly and succinctly - a "bad" run.

Vickhoff Lie managed to repeat a special feat. Two years ago, the Norwegian also won Super-G bronze - at that time tied with Hütter.

(APA/Red)

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