Cornelia Huetter from Austria has made history by winning the inaugural women’s World Cup downhill race at the Birds of Prey course in Beaver Creek, Colorado. She completed the challenging course in a time of 1 minute, 32.38 seconds, edging out Italy’s Sofia Goggia by a narrow 0.16 seconds. Lara Gut-Behrami from Switzerland claimed third place.
Huetter, the current World Cup downhill champion, faced daunting obstacles as she navigated through the steep, bumpy terrain, reaching impressive speeds of nearly 79 mph. Despite some pre-race jitters, she managed to stay focused and maintain her racing line, which ultimately led her to victory.
“I was really nervous when I first saw the course. It felt incredibly steep,” Huetter admitted, reflecting on her experience. “But overall, it was an amazing run.”
Goggia, making her return to competitive skiing after a serious injury last season, finished in second. She had suffered a broken leg during training, which cut her previous season short while she was leading the downhill standings. “It would’ve been great to win, but I’m pleased with how I skied today,” Goggia said, acknowledging that she felt she had more potential to give.
American Lauren Macuga finished fourth, marking her best performance in the World Cup to date, trailing Huetter by just 0.52 seconds. The 22-year-old expressed her excitement about her placement, saying, “It’s such a rewarding feeling to accomplish something like this.”
This event was particularly significant as it marked the first time women racers competed on the full-length Birds of Prey downhill course, while the men have raced on this challenging track for many years. Previously, women had only experienced portions of this course during a super-G event in 2011.
Former Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn, who announced her return to competitive skiing, served as a forerunner to test the course before the official race. She received a warm welcome from the crowd, saying, “It felt like I was racing with all the cheers I received.”
This historic race not only showcased women’s skiing prowess but also highlighted the excitement and growth of the sport on a highly demanding course.
