Venier wins super-G however Vonn fails to complete in return to snowboarding worlds at age of 40

Austrian skier Stephanie Venier gained the ladies’s super-G on the Alpine snowboarding world championships on Thursday however there was disappointment for Lindsey Vonn.

Federica Brignone of Italy completed 0.10 seconds behind Venier to take the silver medal, whereas Lauren Macuga of the US and Kajsa Vickhoff Lie of Norway shared bronzes, 0.24 off the lead.

Vonn, who’s making her return to elite snowboarding on the age of 40, hooked a gate together with her proper arm early in her run and didn’t end in her first look on the worlds in six years. She averted falling and was in a position to cease however then grasped her arm in obvious ache. The gate pressed on her forearm, locked her elbow by her facet and pushed the entire arm again with stress on her shoulder. Spectators within the space let loose a collective gasp of astonishment and grew silent with concern. Vonn skied right down to the end and waved to the group.

Vonn retired in 2019 after profitable bronze in downhill in Are, Sweden, following a number of accidents, however returned to the circuit this season with a brand new titanium proper knee.

The race began in largely sunny situations, however extra clouds got here in after the primary half hour. Extra elements of the course had been within the shadow when Vonn began in thirtieth place.

The 31-year-old Venier was the 2013 junior world champion in super-G however a silver in downhill from the 2017 worlds was her solely medal in a senior race earlier than Thursday’s triumph.

“It sounds unreal. I slept so unhealthy final night time, I used to be so nervous,” Venier informed Austrian TV. “I used to be extraordinarily nervous firstly, I didn’t know methods to deal with, however it was in all probability an excellent omen.”

Venier has three profession World Cup wins, together with one in a super-G in Switzerland a yr in the past.

Thursday’s opening race on the worlds occurred precisely one yr earlier than the 2026 opening ceremony for the Milan-Cortina Olympics.