'A crazy sport': double delight as Pirovano grabs another dramatic Downhill win

Lightning struck twice for Laura Pirovano (ITA/Head) on Saturday, as the Italian won the second Audi FIS World Cup Women’s Downhill race of her career – the day after her first, and once again by the narrowest of margins, +0.01 of a second.

It has been quite the weekend in the Dolomites for the 28-year-old Trento-raised racer, who made her debut World Cup start in 2015, but had never made a podium on the tour before yesterday, having started 124 previous races. 

Connie Huetter (AUT/ Head) was second, while Corinne Suter (SUI/ Head) came third, also narrowly off the lead (+0.05).

It means the tussle for the Audi FIS World Cup Women’s Downhill Crystal Globe will go to the wire, being decided in Lillehammer on 21 March: Pirovano leads the way.

“It’s a crazy sport”
Breezy Johnson (USA/Atomic) had set the early pace, with the American still seeking her debut Audi FIS World Cup Women’s win. On a bumpy run, she was direct and aggressive. 

Huetter, however, put down a great run to take the lead.

Pirovano, 11th out the gate, needed a carbon copy of her near-perfect run of a lifetime in her native hills yesterday to take the lead.

She kept her skis loose and smooth through the ruts to master a difficult Val di Fassa piste again, thundering over the line to finish that crucial hundredth of a second ahead.

Suter was equally composed, cruising to third place, just +0.05 seconds adrift of Pirovano.

“Today I couldn’t believe it, even more than yesterday,” said Pirovano. “I didn’t feel as good as I did yesterday, halfway down. I felt so tired because yesterday took so much out of me, a lot of emotions. 

“My thoughts are really confused right now. Unbelievable is the right word for today and yesterday, to win two races, as first podiums, and one hundredth, that is crazy.

“I tried not to hold back. And when I saw the green light, and again with on hundredth, it was incredible. We talked about all the bad luck I’ve had over the years, and now with these two races I think it’s pretty much evened itself out. 

“I am done with luck. It paid back. There is 2km of snow and so many turns, it’s a crazy sport.”

Huetter and Suter impress
Huetter was satisfied, despite narrowly missing out on victory.

“It’s an amazing day,” she said. “Today when I crossed the line and saw the green, and it was dark green, today I thought it’s my day, but Lolli [Pirovano] came in with one hundredth. 

“[It was] really close with Corinne too, but that’s fighting, that’s racing. I have to be happy and bring all that emotion with me for tomorrow, and not think about tight races. I am super happy for Lolli.”

Suter was also delighted with another result that reflects her return to form. Soldeu had been her first FIS World Cup win in 43 races (since a Super G triumph in Lake Louise in 2021/22). Being back on a podium again is a reflection of her enjoying her skiing.

“Today I tried to go more straight to the gates. I am super tired today but I am so happy,” she said.

“The most important thing for me is to have fun again, skiing, and to have the speed again in downhill. It makes so much fun for me, to race.

“Places and the times are nice, but the most important thing is that I have fun. Right now I am getting better.”

Emma Aicher (GER/Head) finished joint 12th. She now lies on 408 points, with Pirovano leading on 436. The injured Lindsey Vonn (USA/ Head) has 400.

Kira Weidle-Winklemann (GER/ Rossignol) is on 351, and Huetter 344: they can both win the Audi FIS World Cup Women’s Downhill Crystal Globe, but will need Pirovano and Aicher to falter.

22-year-old four-discipline racer Aicher can add further pressure to Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/ Atomic) for the overall Crystal Globe in the Super G on Sunday.

The final World Cup Downhill of the season is in Lillehammer, Norway on 21 March.

The men’s and women’s Downhills at the FIS Junior World Alpine Championships in Narvik, meanwhile, were cancelled on Saturday.

Check out the full results from the women’s Downhill in Val di Fassa here, with the latest season standings in the race for the Downhill Crystal Globe here.

Also, do please head to Reuters Connect and Actionpress.de to view and purchase a wide selection of photographs from this race and from all FIS events.