Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria
Not being able to push out of the start gate as usual, the American was more than half a second off the lead at the first split and finished 1.54 behind the Austrian.
“I have a little start routine with my poles, and I couldn’t really do that with my right hand,” Vonn said. “I also kind of lost grip on my pole after the last jump.”
The four-time overall champion, who holds the women’s record of 76 victories, has been out with a knee injury and a broken arm since February last year. The fracture in her right upper arm also damaged nerves, which was still limiting mobility of her hand.
Scheyer, whose previous best was ninth in last month’s downhill in Val d’Isere, impressed in training as she posted the second fastest time. But the Austrian went one spot better in the race. In only her fourth World Cup downhill start, she beat Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather by 0.39 seconds. American Jacqueline Wiles was 0.54 behind in third for her first career podium.
Defending overall champion Lara Gut of Switzerland finished fourth, while Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia, who had won all three previous downhill races this season, came fifth.
Men: Kristoffersen Prevails Again
Wengen, Switzerland
Defending a first-run lead, Kristoffersen was slower than Hirscher at the last time check but the Norwegian raced through the final gates for a 0.15 seconds winning margin.
Germanys’ Felix Neureuther was 0.63 back in third.
Kristoffersen now leads the World Cup slalom standings from Austrian Hirscher, who has been runner-up in three of his rival’s victories.
Still, Hirscher extended his clear lead in the overall standings with Kristoffersen rising to second.
Kristoffersen also won last Sunday at nearby Adelboden, and completed back-to-back wins at the Swiss venues for the second straight year.