Ski World Cup in Saalbach
German misses surprise – favorites Patzen
08.02.2025 – 1:16 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
There is long tension in the departure – and the appearance of a German is eagerly awaited. In the end, the small sensation fails to materialize. Lindsey Vonn is cheered – despite a disappointment.
The German ski racer Emma Aicher narrowly missed a surprise on the World Cup departure. The 21-year-old ended up sixth in the royal discipline. Aicher was 0.48 seconds behind the new world champion Breezy Johnson from the USA, and only 0.27 seconds were missing for the podium. Aicher defied her very late start number and a slope that was no longer ideal. “That was a great performance,” said ARD expert Felix Neureuther.
Johnson prevailed in front of Mirjam Puchner from Austria (+0.15) and the Czech Ester Ledecka (+0.21). The US runner celebrated the greatest success of her career so far. After strong training trips and sixth in the Super-G, Aicher had been traded on the podium. But then on the eve of the race she was only drawn to the start number 30. Johnson, on the other hand, was the first to go into the race and not to beat.
Some favorites and also Kira Weidle-Winkelmann as the second German starter were significantly distant. The Starnberg woman came to 12th place with 1.64 seconds. The American returnee Lindsey Vonn (15th) and Sofia Goggia from Italy (16th) landed even further behind. In particular, the American Vonn, who only celebrated her comeback last December at the age of 40, was still cheered frenetically.