In Beaver Creek

Best time by Brignone – Vonn in the lead

Lindsey Vonn and Federica Brignone(Bild: AFP)

The Italian Federica Brignone has set the fastest time in the opening training run for the first World Cup downhill of the ski season in Beaver Creek. The fastest Austrian on the Birds of Prey, which is being used by women for the first time, was Mirjam Puchner in sixth place on Wednesday, 1.16 seconds behind. Lindsey Vonn was the forerunner.

Downhill World Cup defending champion Cornelia Hütter finished eleventh, directly behind her Sofia Goggia made a promising comeback after an eight-month injury break.

Comebacks from Ortlieb and Goggia
Her compatriot Brignone was 0.39 seconds faster than second-placed Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami. In third place was another Italian, Marta Bassino (+0.40). Nina Ortlieb, in her first World Cup training run after a long injury break, was just over four seconds behind at the other end of the field with a gate error. Tamara Tippler, who is returning from a baby break, shaved 3.88 seconds off her time.

Vonn forerunner
US veteran star Lindsey Vonn was the forerunner as planned on her way to her planned return in St. Moritz. According to Vonn, she has scored the necessary points for a comeback in the Ski World Cup. "I have officially qualified for the World Cup! The races this weekend were so much fun and a great training opportunity," Vonn wrote on Instagram. The US-American finished 24th and 27th in the downhill and 24th and 19th in the super-G at the FIS races in Copper Mountain. She will start as a forerunner this weekend in Beaver Creek.

Further training sessions are planned in Beaver Creek on Thursday and Friday. The downhill is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a super-G on Sunday.