In a nail-biting finish under clear skies on the iconic Corviglia course, 22-year-old German sensation Emma Aicher claimed victory in the second women’s downhill of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup weekend, denying American legend Lindsey Vonn a historic double and securing her third career World Cup win.
Aicher clocked a time of 1:30.50, beating Vonn by just 0.24 seconds. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion, rounded out the podium in third, 0.29 seconds off the pace.
The race, which saw the first 30 starters complete their runs in challenging but fair conditions, highlighted the depth of talent in women’s speed skiing. After yesterday’s opener where Vonn made history with her 83rd World Cup victory at age 41, today’s event flipped the script as the young German star delivered a near-perfect run.
Vonn, starting with high expectations after her dominant performance on Friday, briefly held the lead before Aicher stormed down the track with superior precision and speed in key sections.
“I’m really happy with my skiing today,” Aicher said post-race. “To beat Lindsey and Sofia on this course is incredible.”
Vonn, still beaming despite missing the double, remains in strong contention for the downhill crystal globe and continues her remarkable comeback ahead of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
Goggia, known for her aggressive style, expressed satisfaction with her podium finish: “It’s a good result after a small mistake in one turn. The speed is there.”
The St. Moritz weekend concludes tomorrow with a super-G, where more excitement is expected on the demanding Engadin slopes.
With two downhills complete, Vonn leads the discipline standings, but Aicher’s win closes the gap significantly.
