Stephanie Venier Clinches First Super-G Win in Crans-Montana

Switzerland's Lara Gut Behrami speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup super-G, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Maria Pizzato)

Austrian skier Stephanie Venier secured her first-ever victory in the women's World Cup super-G event held at Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Venier triumphed in a closely contested race on the Mont Lachaux course, edging out Italian racers Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino by mere fractions of a second.

Venier's stellar performance marked her third career win, with previous victories coming in downhill events in Germany in 2019 and Italy just last month. Following a couple of disappointing results in recent downhill races, Venier's success in the super-G provided a much-needed boost, expressing her satisfaction with her skiing on the day.

The Austrian skier credited her victory to her strong performance in the middle section of the course, where she managed to maintain better speed compared to her rivals. Venier's win tightens the competition for the super-G season title, with current leader Lara Gut-Behrami finishing in sixth place.

Stephanie Venier wins first women's World Cup super-G

Venier's victory tightens race for super-G title

Venier overcame recent disappointments with strong performance

Venier's previous wins in downhill races in Germany and Italy

Mikaela Shiffrin to resume training next week

Lara Gut-Behrami extends overall lead with solid performance

Gut-Behrami struggles on soft snow but remains content

Gut-Behrami's lead in super-G title race cut to five points

Brignone and Huetter close contenders to Gut-Behrami

Ragnhild Mowinckel experiences a nasty crash but avoids major injury

Gut-Behrami, who had previously won the last two super-G races and a downhill event, acknowledged the challenges posed by the soft snow conditions but remained content with her overall performance. The Swiss skier's lead in the overall standings over American Mikaela Shiffrin has now extended to 205 points.

With just five points separating Gut-Behrami and Cornelia Huetter in the super-G discipline standings, the competition is heating up. Brignone and Venier also find themselves within striking distance of the leader, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the season with four more super-G races scheduled.

The event was briefly overshadowed by a terrifying crash involving Norwegian skier Ragnhild Mowinckel, who lost control and collided with safety netting. Fortunately, Mowinckel managed to walk away from the incident without major injuries, underscoring the risks and challenges faced by athletes in alpine skiing competitions.

Looking ahead, the focus now turns to the upcoming races in Val di Fassa, Italy, where the battle for the super-G season title is set to intensify. With top contenders like Venier, Gut-Behrami, and Brignone in close contention, fans can expect thrilling moments on the slopes as the season reaches its climax.

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