SAALBACH (AUSTRIA) (ITALPRESS) – Breezy Johnson takes the downhill in Saalbach. The U.S. skier, who skied with bib number 1 and will be back in action in December 2024 after being disqualified for 14 months for violating anti-doping protocol (failure to be on hand at three surprise checks), skis in 1’41″29 and takes the first world gold of her career. Silver for host Mirjam Puchner (+0″15): first rainbow medal for the Austrian, silver in the super-G at the Beijing 2022 Games. The bronze went to Ester Ledecka. The Czech, a snowboarding specialist but already capable of great exploits in alpine skiing, above all gold in super-G at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018, finishes 0″21 from the top, confirming her excellent feeling with the Saalbach course, which saw her triumph in super-G at the World Cup in March a year ago. Austria’s Cornelia Huetter is at the foot of the podium (fourth at 0″34) just ahead of USA’s Lauren Macuga, who fails to repeat her bronze in Thursday’s super-G. Germany’s Emma Aicher tries to break the bank with bib number 30 but, after turning on the green light in the first three sectors, she commits a few blunders in the final, finishing sixth at 0″48. Also in the top ten are Switzerland’s Corinne Suter, seventh at 0″62, and Austria’s Stephanie Venier, ninth at 0″99. In between is Nicol Delago, best of the Italians. The 1996 class from Bressanone, five World Cup podiums (four in downhill), is eighth at 0″76. “I am very satisfied. Last year I had finished well here and then there was the injury in September. I hope to continue like this,” her analysis. Federica Brignone limited the damage and placed 10th at 1″19 from Johnson. Descent not in the ropes for the Valle d’Aosta native, fresh from silver in the super-giant: “Some parts did not come out exactly as I wanted. I managed to be soft despite not having great feelings. The attitude was right, but I knew it was not my downhill. Now I will rest and then focus on the giant.” Sofia Goggia with the handbrake on after yesterday’s crash in practice. The 32-year-old from Bergamo does not go beyond 16th place at 1″97: “I already knew it would be difficult for me. To be complete you have to know how to do everything well. I didn’t ski well from the first gate and I didn’t have the right feeling. In the super-G I had more regret for some mistakes I made. I didn’t have the right speed today. We will see if we will do the combined.” Good performance by Laura Pirovano, who is 13th at 1″69. After a promising start, Lindsey Vonn drops in the distance and is 15th at 1″96. Young talent Malorie Blanc does not go beyond 19th place at 2″20 from the top. Bad day for the Swiss colors with the exit of Lara Gut-Behrami after an uninspiring first half of the race. Also out were Jacqueline Wiles and Greta Small. Everything changes on the podium at the 2023 World Championships in Courchevel/Meribel. Absent Jasmine Flury (gold) and Nina Ortlieb (silver), Suter (bronze) is eighth. Second consecutive fourth place for Huetter. – photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
