KVITFJELL, Norway – German skier Emma Aicher won a World Cup Alpine Ski downhill for her first victory, one day after she earned the maiden podium result of her career.
Following a flawless second part of her run on the Olympiabakken course, Aicher edged out United States’ Lauren Macuga by 0.03 seconds, denying the American what would have been her first downhill triumph.
“It’s unbelievable. I didn´t think this was going to happen, especially in downhill, but I´m really happy with my skiing right now. It´s nice,” Aicher said according to AP.
The 21-year-old German prodigy was runner-up to Austria’s winner Cornelia Huetter in the downhill. The Austrian placed third 0.19 behind.
Aicher, who wore bib 16 and started after most top-ranked downhillers had raced, brought both hands to her mouth in apparent disbelief when she saw her time at the finish.
Macuga left the leader seat immediately and went straight over to the German to hug her. “Good job, that was so exciting!” the American told Aicher.
After the race, Macuga said she “can´t be upset about (losing by 0.03) as it´s my first downhill podium.”
The second place marked another highlight of the American’s breakout season and came less than two months after she won a World Cup Super-G, and three weeks after taking bronze in super-G at the world championships.
Macuga’s previous best in downhill was fourth, from a race in Beaver Creek, Colorado in December.
Breezy Johnson finished 0.62 off the lead in 10th, after she was third in the race.
Johnson was halted at the start for several minutes as course workers needed to repair the safety netting following a crash from the previous starter, Germany´s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann.
Lindsey Vonn was 0.95 off the pace in 16th in her ninth race since her comeback this season at the age of 40 with a new titanium knee after six years away from racing.
Aicher’s win marked the first downhill victory for the German women´s ski team since Viktoria Rebensburg won a home race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in February 2020. And no German skier had won in Kvitfjell since standout Katja Seizinger did so in the 1990s.
“It´s crazy I am one of them now, so it´s weird,” Aicher said.
Expectations on her have been high for years.
“I try to block that out and focus on myself. I can only control my skiing,” said Aicher, who was born in Sweden to a German father and a Swedish mother.
She was just 17 when she won bronze with Germany in the mixed-team event at the 2021 world championships, and was also part of the team that won Olympic silver in 2022.
That same year, she won three silver medals at the junior worlds – in slalom, GS, and downhill.
At last month´s worlds in Austria, Aicher competed in all events and finished sixth in both the super-G and the downhill.
Henrik Kristoffersen won his first World Cup giant slalom in three years, denying runner-up Lucas Pinheiro Braathen what would have been Brazil’s first ever top-level victory in Alpine skiing.
Pinheiro Braathen improved from seventh after the opening run as he led the race with only first-run leader Kristofferson to come down.
The Norwegian lost more than half of his advantage but still finished a commanding 0.41 seconds ahead of his former teammate, who switched nations and returned to the circuit competing for Brazil this season after a year off.
“For sure, it means a lot. It was a really nice race, really good conditions,” Kristoffersen said.
