‘Charging’ Johnson crowned Downhill world champion after breaking winless run in style

Breezy Johnson (USA/Atomic) is the women’s 2025 Downhill world champion after choosing the perfect place to produce the performance of a lifetime.

The 29-year-old had not won at the very top level in 104 previous attempts, but it all came together down the Zwölferkogel in Saalbach, Austria.

First out of the gate, a relaxed looking Johnson flew down a course suited to those with a smooth, calm touch. A roar to the crowd with both arms outstretched indicated that the expert glider was happy with her efforts and so it proved, with no one able to match her time of one minute 41.29 seconds.

On a day for the underdogs, local favourite Mirjam Puchner (AUT/Atomic) put her tough season behind her to snatch silver, finishing +0.15 seconds behind the beaming victor. Despite not having won on the World Cup tour since 2019, the Austrian now has two major medals in three years, having claimed Olympic Super G silver in 2022.  

Another athlete who knows how to save her best for the biggest stages took bronze.

A year to the day before the Olympic women’s Downhill will take place in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Ester Ledecka (CZE/Kaestle) reminded the world of her remarkable skills. A first Alpine skiing world championship medal will now sit alongside three snowboard world championship medals, plus her two snowboard Olympic golds and her 2018 Olympic Super G gold in Ledecka’s bulging trophy cabinet.

Less than a year after snatching the 2023/24 World Cup Downhill Crystal Globe with a stunning Saalbach performance, Conny Hütter (AUT/Head) had to endure the agony of finishing fourth, 0.13 seconds off the podium.

Her fellow pre-race favourites fared worse, with current Downhill season standings leader Federica Brignone (ITA/Rossignol) fading to 10^th after fighting the mid and lower sections. The 2018 Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia (ITA/Atomic) also admitted she “never found the right feeling” as she ended 16^th, one spot behind 2009 Downhill world champion Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head).

On a tough day for the Swiss, Corinne Suter (Head) was unable to add to her world championship Downhill medal collection, as she, like many others, was unable to match Johnson’s speed on the lower half. She did make it to the finish – ending seventh – unlike storied teammate Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI/Head). Chasing a ninth world championship medal, Gut-Behrami was in touch until skiing out late on, producing a miraculous recovery just to stay on her feet.

'I was just trying to hammer'

But after a career full of close calls, including three World Cup second place finishes in 2021, it was Johnson’s day.

Picked out by many, including Goggia and Hütter, as a big threat, so it proved.

“I was just trying to hammer, trying to send and really just keep charging, and stay in the low tuck and execute all of my things,” a teary Johnson said in the finish area.

“It's definitely a fast course in places. It was fun. I was just kind of moving, you know, section to section and just trying to execute my plan.”

Her plan proved perfection, with a top speed of 138.51kmph after flying 36m off the famous Panoramasprung jump powering her to the finish.

“I was psyched because I knew that I had skied my best,” Johnson said of celebrations in the finish area that came despite knowing 32 racers had the chance to catch her.

The USA women’s speed team are certainly loving life in Saalbach so far.

“You know it’s really fun when people are skiing well,” Johnson said, with her gold coming two days after the 22-year-old Lauren Macuga (USA/Rossignol) won Super G bronze.

“And you know, we try to build each other up, and we try to help each other and I think that that typically breeds a breeds a fast ski environment. It definitely breeds a happy ski environment.”

More home success for capacity crowd

Much to the delight of the 15,000-plus locals the Austrian team know just what Johnson is talking about, Puchner adding her Downhill silver to Stephanie Venier’s (AUT/Head) Super G gold.

This after a season in which Puchner has really struggled.

“It was heavy from the first race. I always had problems and I didn’t know why it was not working because the summer and autumn (2024) was very good until training in Copper (Mountain, USA),” said Puchner, who in nine World Cup speed races leading up to these World Championships had finished inside the top-15 just once.

Luckily, the Zwölferkogel could have been designed for her silky skills.

“Everyone said ‘yeah it’s a great slope for you’ and I like it very much, it’s a slope that includes everything,” Puchner said, the smile back on her face. “I tried to make a reset, a new start at the World Champs, and it was great.”

'I believe I'm quite a decent skier'

Just like the two skiers ahead of her, Ledecka also had to overcome real challenges to join them on a world championship podium.

A flare up of an old injury kept the Czechia skier from competing in the final pre-World Championship World Cup speed races  and then she got sick once she arrived in Saalbach. But Ledecka is built of different stuff and only a wobble after the Panoramasprung stopped her from climbing even higher.

“You know in snowboarding I already had two (world championship) gold medals and one silver so now the collection is complete with bronze from Downhill skiing,” a laughing Ledeccka said.

“You know, obviously I have much more achievements so far on (my) snowboard. I also was snowboarding much more in the past years, (but) the last few years I was more on the skis so I'm getting a little bit better there too. I believe I'm quite a decent skier and also a snowboarder.

“So, this is good for me, but, you know, it also takes a lot of work. And I need to work on my snowboard skills right now as well, because the World Championships on snowboard is coming (16-30 March in Engadin).

“So now I'm skiing until tomorrow, and since tomorrow, I'm again a snowboarder.”

One-year countdown to Olympic Downhill

Ledecka will be hoping to repeat her headline grabbing feats in a year’s time, when she attempts to replicate the remarkable Alpine skiing and snowboarding Olympic gold medal double she pulled off in PyeongChang in 2018.

Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head), who will be 41 by then, very much hopes to join her after skiing in her first world championships for six years.

“You know, in the start, I put pressure on myself as if it was a practice run for the Olympics, and I did exactly what I came here to do,” said Vonn, who only returned to World Cup racing in December last year.

“Clearly, not everything is working as well as it should. I know I can be stronger. I know I can get my material to work better. For me, it's, it's like, you know, jumping in a Formula One car and having no training.

“I hope to be in a much different place in a year.”