Emma Aicher triumphed in the latest women’s super-G event, securing her fifth World Cup victory on Saturday and intensifying the battle for the season’s discipline title.
The versatile German skier showcased exceptional performance by leading the pack in the initial two sections of the Aliga course in Soldeu, Andorra. She clinched her second super-G win of the season, making her the only skier with multiple victories in this discipline.
Expressing her delight, Aicher mentioned, “I had a great time skiing today, and it feels amazing to achieve this victory.” Despite finishing the super-G event at the Milan Cortina Games in sixth place, she outpaced Alice Robinson from New Zealand by 0.88 seconds.
Robinson’s strong finish narrowed the gap to super-G leader Sofia Goggia to just 20 points, with three more events remaining, including another race on Sunday at the same venue. Sofia Goggia trailed Aicher by 1.32 seconds, securing the sixth position.
Val Grenier from Canada finished 20th overall in the competition. Meanwhile, Corinne Suter, who secured the third spot, trailed Aicher by 0.98 seconds, being the only other skier to finish within one second of the winning time.
Under sunny conditions, Aicher delivered a nearly flawless run on the challenging course, with only 37 out of 55 starters completing their race. Celebrating her victory with gusto, Aicher expressed surprise at her substantial lead of almost nine-tenths of a second.
Reflecting on her performance, Aicher mentioned, “I felt comfortable on the flat section but struggled a bit on the super-G turns. It wasn’t ideal.” Her victory propelled her into third place in the super-G standings, surpassing Lindsey Vonn by 96 points, who has been sidelined due to a severe leg injury sustained during the Olympic downhill event.
The race witnessed an unfortunate incident when Ricarda Haaser suffered a serious crash, resulting in a fractured tibial plateau in her left knee. Haaser was promptly evacuated from the hill on a rescue sled and was scheduled to return to Austria for medical treatment.
The competition also saw two-time Olympic champion Federica Brignone lagging more than two seconds behind the leader. Brignone, who recently returned from a leg injury and secured gold at the Milan Cortina Games, opted out of Friday’s downhill and faced challenges with the course’s jumps.
The event concluded with Aicher’s remarkable victory, setting the stage for further thrilling competitions in the ongoing World Cup season.