Huetter wins Lake Louise DH while Shiffrin earns shocking podium, Vonn crashes
AP | The Canadian Press
LAKE LOUISE, Alberta — Lindsey Vonn fell and crashed into the safety netting on the final turn Friday in the women’s season-opening World Cup downhill, handing Austria’s Cornelia Huetter the victory.
An 18-time winner at Lake Louise, Vonn was able to get up after the wreck in “Claire’s Corner” and ski to the bottom of the course. She was the fastest at each of the four intermediate stages and had a 0.05-second lead when she wiped out.
Vonn did not speak to media and declined autograph-seekers, saying: “I have to go ice my hip.”
She later tweeted: “Well that hurt… had a nice lead the whole way down but caught my inside ski. I’ll be sore tomorrow but will rest up tonight and barring anything major I will be racing. Can’t keep me down!”
Vonn is back at the resort west of Calgary after missing the stop last season because of a broken arm. The 33-year-old American star has a record 77 career women’s World Cup victories. She is a four-time overall World Cup champion and won the 2010 Olympic women’s downhill.
Huetter returned from a knee injury that sidelined her since January to race to her first downhill victory and second overall World Cup win. In steady snow, she finished in 1 minute, 48.53 seconds.
“It’s unbelievable,” Huetter said. “It’s my first race after the injury, so it’s my comeback and it’s the best comeback I’ve ever dreamed about.”
Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was second in 1:48.62. She slipped coming out of the final turn.
“That cost me the win,” she said. “That’s a pity because I was really close.”
Vail’s Mikaela Shiffrin was third in 1:48.83, the first podium in three career downhills for Shiffrin — the World Cup overall and slalom champion last year and defending Olympic slalom champion.
“I’m still not sure what my expectations are in downhill and today was an amazing day,” Shiffrin said. “I’ve definitely made a lot of progress in my downhill. Super-G comes a little bit more naturally because there’s a little bit more turning. Downhill, I’m always surprised at how much time there is to make the turns. That’s something I’ve worked on a lot, being a little more patient.”
American Jackie Wiles was fifth for her second career World Cup top-five finish.
A second downhill is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a super-G on Sunday.
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.
User Legend: 
Moderator 
Trusted User
Summit County skiers describe late-July skiing on lingering Colorado snow patch
Casey Day and friends trudged up Santa Fe Peak on July 24 to celebrate Day’s birthday and ski a remote line accessed off of Peru Creek near Montezuma. Day said though narrow in spots, the dirty strip of snow on the High Voltage line is one of the longer lines people are still able to ski.
