Austrian Venier wins 100th women’s World Cup race in sunny Cortina d’Ampezzo
Jan 26, 2024·Alpine Skiing
In a return to top form and on a difficult Olympia delle Tofane piste baked in sun and with mild temperatures, Stephanie Venier (AUT) sped to her first World Cup downhill victory in five years.
Venier knocked Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) out of the leaders’ chair by 0.39 seconds to achieve the downhill victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo, on the piste that will be home to the women’s downhill at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics.
The 30-year-old Venier improved upon her second-place finish on home snow in Altenmarkt-Zauchensse two weeks ago to achieve her second career World Cup victory, out of start position No. 18.
“It was a good run, my technician did a really good job and my skis were really fast today,” Venier said. “I think my self-confidence is back and that was the key.”
“My physio and trainer also did a really good job for me at the top and they said ‘Steph it’s easy, you can do this, be sure, it’s a great slope,’ and it was a great run.”
Venier's winning time was 1:33.06.
Despite coming up four-tenths short of what would have been 41st career World Cup triumph, and 13th in downhill, Gut-Behrami still achieved her 82nd career podium.
The Swiss veteran knows what she needs to clean up for a second downhill in Cortina on Saturday.
“I moved a lot with the terrain on the top, but in the last part I was not so fast,” said Gut-Behrami. “Skiing is all about being ready and you have to adapt your skiing, so I have a few things to improve upon for tomorrow.”
In an unusual twist, three racers shared third place – Italian fan favorite Sofia Goggia (ITA), Christina Ager (AUT), and Valerie Grenier (CAN). The trio of racers were all 0.71 seconds off Venier’s winning mark.
It was a tough day on the mountain for numerous racers, most notably Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). Starting bib No. 8, the overall World Cup leader suffered a fall near the top of the course approaching the Tofane Schuss. Shiffrin was unable to land a small jump in a patch of soft snow and slid into the safety netting. She was attended to by medics for about 10 minutes and then stood up, but limped off gingerly using her poles, unable to exert pressure on her left leg.
The five-time overall World Cup champion was airlifted off the mountain by helicopter and according to the U.S. Ski Team taken by ambulance to a Cortina clinic for further evaluation.
Shiffrin sent a quick encouraging message to her U.S. teammates after her DNF. “It’s all ok ladies, surface is money, you got this.”
Beijing 2022 Olympic downhill champion Corinne Suter (SUI) also had problems in nearly the same location as Shiffrin. The Swiss downhill star avoided a crash, but stopped suddenly invoking pain in her left knee. She was driven off the piste by snowmobile and also airlifted down from the course.
In a race significantly slowed by numerous accidents and delays, Federica Brignone (ITA) was another top racer who lost control and found herself in the safety nets. Fortunately, the Italian former overall World Cup champion rose quickly and skied to the bottom uninjured.
Venier elaborated upon Friday’s challenge on the 2.66-kilometer Olympia delle Tofane track.
“The slope is a little bit different than the years before because there are more rollers so it’s not that easy, but it was real fun,” Venier said.
Goggia (bib No. 15), Ager (No. 24) and Grenier (No. 31) joined together on a tad crowded five-athlete podium.
“The other two girls don’t know that I am a bit fat and there is not enough space on the podium for all of us,” Goggia joked. “And I like to eat pasta Italiano.”
Seeking her fourth career World Cup win in Cortina, on a track that she has also suffered multiple crashes, including just weeks before the Beijing 2022 Olympics, Goggia addressed the difficulties she had on the familiar slope on Friday.
"Not an easy day for sure - but I had a solid performance," Goggia said. "I had a bad first training run, our only one, so today I needed a clean run. Of course, I did my best, but it was not enough. I can push even more and I will try tomorrow."
About the unexpected tie for third place, Ager said: “It’s crazy, but my run was super nice and my serviceman did a really good job and my skis were very fast today.”
Grenier, whose previous two World Cup victories have come in GS in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, the latest just three weeks ago, posted a career best downhill result.
The renowned Italian piste with its stunning views of the Ampezzo valley and surrounding Italian Dolomites peaks will shine in the Italian sun again during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in just over two years.
Questioned about the magnitude of her triumph on the future Olympic piste, Venier downplayed the importance of her achievement: “Of course, that sounds great, but there are more than two years left, still,” said the Austrian racer.
Venier’s victory comes in the 100th women’s World Cup race contested in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The first World Cup downhill in Cortina was held on Dec. 12, 1974, as Austrian legend Anne Marie Moser – Pröll was the inaugural champion.
Venier is the first Austrian woman to win a downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo since Ramona Siebenhofer, who recorded two victories here in 2019.
In total, 12 of 52 racers did not finish Friday’s downhill race on the historic track.
The women will have another chance on the Olympia delle Tofane, in the second of two Audi FIS World Cup downhills scheduled in beautiful Cortina d’Ampezzo.
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