Lauren Macuga claims first World Cup win as Lindsey Vonn places fourth in St. Anton super-G
Macuga became the first American to win a super-G at the Austrian venue
Giovanni Auletta/AP photo
Lauren Macuga claimed her first World Cup win in the St. Anton super-G on Sunday. The 22-year-old rocketed down the Karl Schranz slope in a time of 1 minute, 17.51 seconds to become the first American to win a super-G at the Austrian venue.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it, it’s so exciting, that’s so cool,” Macuga told FIS when she heard of her historic achievement. “I don’t even think the nerves have settled in. I am just waiting for it to hit me. I know it’s going to. It’s just so exciting. This is a dream; I have been dreaming this for ever.”
Macuga’s teammate, Lindsey Vonn, followed up her sixth-place finish in Saturday’s downhill with a fourth-place result on Sunday. The 40-year-old finished ahead of defending super-G crystal globe winner Lara Gut-Behrami and was just 0.32 seconds off of claiming her 138th-career podium. Austrian Stephanie Venier (1:18.19) finished second and Federica Brignone (1:18.43) took third.
“It was a crazy run today,” Vonn told Sierra Ryder, communications manager for U.S. Ski team. “It was really bumpy; the light was really flat when I went. It was sunny and then when I was in the starting gate, it got dark and I didn’t even have time to change my goggles.”
Vonn said Sunday’s performance was “a really good step forward.”
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“In St. Moritz I was kind of getting in the rhythm and yesterday gave me a lot of confidence. I think I was a little more active today, but the conditions were not easy. So to be fourth with this run — I think I made some pretty big mistakes — so, to be fourth is something I’m really proud of. And I’m also really proud of my teammate Lauren.”
Macuga has been rising steadily the last two years. The Park City native notched her first top-10 last January and finished the 2024 season with a seventh and fifth in Kvitfjell last March. Last month at Beaver Creek, she placed fourth in the downhill. On Sunday, she took advantage of wearing the No. 17 bib as flat light disrupted the early starters.
“It was difficult, it was bumpy the whole way down but I lucked out with the light,” Macuga told FIS. “The sun came out a little bit for me and I just took advantage of that and sent it. I didn’t think it would be a winning run. I knew it was going to be good but I guess it was.”
Brignone, who won Saturday’s downhill, said the visibility was “really awful.”
“You could see nothing under your feet. It was really difficult to attack and do your lines,” the Italian told FIS. “I tried my best but I knew that if the sun was coming out (it would be) a totally different race. But it is like this, this is sport. I am happy because even if I did a mistake I didn’t block myself — I tried.”
Jacqueline Wiles and Keely Cashman also scored World Cup points, finishing 24th and 28th, respectively, for the U.S. Their teammates Tricia Mangan and Haley Cutler came in 33rd and 39th.
The next women’s World Cup speed weekend is Jan. 16-19 in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Vonn has won 12 times at the Italian venue.
“I think I’m in a good place. I really wanted to keep building every day on my results and I think it’s perfect timing coming into Cortina,” she said. “My equipment is getting better every day, my confidence is there, and now I just need to get that last 10-15% that I know I can get to. But, I think, as you know, I have a lot of confidence in Cortina, so I hope I can put everything together there.”
