Vonn crashes out in Cortina downhill as Gut claims victory

Vail’s Lindsey Vonn crashed again Saturday in the same spot where she flew off course during training on Friday, and Switzerland’s Lara Gut grabbed the win in a Word Cup downhill in Cortina, Italy, closing to within 30 points of the overall lead held by Eagle-Vail’s Mikaela Shiffrin.

Shiffrin did not race, but will try to earn points in Sunday’s super-G. Vonn is also expected to race.

Here’s the full press release from the U.S. Ski Team:

Johnson 10th at Cortina downhill

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (Jan. 28 2017) – Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) posted a career-best Audi FIS Ski World Cup result, finishing 10^th to lead five Americans into the top 30 in downhill Saturday.

Switzerland’s Lara Gut won her seventh World Cup downhill race Saturday. Italy’s Sofia Goggia was second, followed by World Cup downhill leader Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia in third. Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), shooting for her 78^th World Cup victory, was leading at the first interval until she crashed into the nets – the same section she crashed in Friday’s training run.

“I thought I was skiing well,” Vonn said. “I thought I had a good plan going into today. They shaved down that bump a little bit, but I still managed to catch some air. I felt like I was going pretty fast … so I slowed myself down. When I landed, there was a little bit of a bump and my outside ski caught. I did the splits and went straight into the fence.”

Johnson, starting 26^th, put down an aggressive run to continue her strong skiing this season, which has now included four top 15 World Cup downhill results.

“I’m really excited with how things have been going,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t have expected this much this often, but I’ve just been trying to follow my plan and execute it everywhere I go.”

Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) was hot on Johnson’s heels, finishing 11^th for her best result since her sixth-place finish earlier this season at Lake Louise, Canada.

“I’ve had a series of pretty bad results,” Cook said. “A lot of hard hills for me, so I wasn’t expecting to win, but just trying to everyday throw down a race and come down to the finish. I was owning last place for a couple series there … so today I was just staying focused and trying to find some speed, speed, speed wherever I could. Just sending it.”

Other American finishers included Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) in 17^th; Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO) 18^th; Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) 22^nd; and Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) in 32^nd.

With her victory, Gut pulled to within 30 points of Mikaela Shiffrin’s (Eagle-Vail, CO) overall World Cup Lead. Shiffrin, Gut and Vonn are all expected to race in Sunday’s super G. Watch it live on NBCSports.com at 5:30 a.m. EST.

“I’m just to look forward to tomorrow,” Vonn said of Sunday’s super G. “Try to regroup, try to loosen myself up – I’m getting a little sore. I’m too old to be hitting the fence that hard.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Breezy Johnson posted a career-best 10^th place finish in Saturday’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill.
• Lindsey Vonn crashed in Saturday’s race at the same section she crashed in Friday’s training run. Vonn is expected to race in Sunday’s super G.
• Lara Gut won her 23^rd career World Cup race, her seventh career downhill win, on Saturday.
• Overall World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin is expected to race in Sunday’s super G
• Road to Aspen: With Saturday’s downhill victory, Gut is only 30 points behind Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) in the overall World Cup standings. Heading into Sunday’s super G at Cortina, Gut has 1,023 World Cup points and can overtake Shiffrin’s 1,053-point lead with a top eight finish. In the World Cup downhill standings, Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec leads with 437 points. Gut is second with 360.

QUOTES
Breezy Johnson
I’m really excited with how things have been going. I couldn’t have expected this much this often, but I’ve just been trying to follow my plan and execute it everywhere I go.

[On her teammates]
They all have so many different skills they bring to the table. Laurenne is a great technical skier. Stacey is an awesome glider. Lindsey has it all. Julia is great when the big events matter, and Jackie just goes for it. So it’s good to be able to take pieces from all of them, and learn from all of them … and bring that to your own skiing.

Lindsey Vonn
I thought I was skiing well. I thought I had a good plan going into today. They shaved down that bump a little bit, but I still managed to catch some air. I felt like I was going pretty fast … so I slowed myself down. When I landed, there was a little bit of a bump and my outside ski caught. I did the splits and went straight into the fence.

It just wasn’t my day today, or yesterday for that matter, but that’s ski racing! I tried my best and I’m happy with my effort. I’m just to look forward to tomorrow. Try to regroup, try to loosen myself up – I’m getting a little sore. I’m too old to be hitting the fence that hard.

Stacey Cook
I’ve had a series of pretty bad results. A lot of hard hills for me, so I wasn’t expecting to win, but just trying to throw down a race and come down to the finish. I was owning last place for a couple series there … so today I was just staying focused and trying to find some speed, speed, speed wherever I could. Just sending it.

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
All events streaming at www.nbcsports.com/live

Sunday, Jan. 29
5:30 a.m. – Women’s super G, Cortina d’Ampezzo – nbcsports.com – LIVE
5:30 p.m. – Women’s super G, Cortina d’Ampezzo – NBCSN

RESULTS:
Women’s downhill