The alpine skiing world felt the sting of disappointment on March 22, 2025, when heavy snow and high winds forced the cancellation of the women’s downhill at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Idaho. It was a rare chance for American fans to see Lindsey Vonn, the most decorated female skier in U.S. history, race a speed event on home snow—a chance wiped out by weather that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) deemed too hazardous. The 40-year-old, who holds a record 43 World Cup downhill wins, had been poised to cap her comeback season with a flourish, but Mother Nature had other plans.
Vonn, competing in her first World Cup Finals since 2018, had already shown her mettle earlier in the season. After retiring in 2019 due to a battered body—culminating in a knee replacement in 2024—she roared back to the circuit in December, posting a 14th-place finish in St. Moritz, a sixth in St. Anton downhill, and a fourth in super-G there. The Sun Valley downhill was to be her 13th race of this improbable return, a chance to clock speeds up to 85 mph for the home crowd. But with the event scrubbed, she pivoted to the super-G on March 23, her final shot to leave a mark in front of the Idaho faithful. But did she feel like missing out on this chance?
Well, hours after the downhill cancellation, Vonn shared her heart on X: “Sad that the downhill was cancelled today… but grateful to everyone who worked around the clock to try and make it happen. Mother Nature was not on our side today. Hoping tomorrow we will have an amazing super-G and I can have one final speed race in the United States. I haven’t had many opportunities to ski speed at home so I will give it my all for the home crowd.”
It was a raw, resilient note—classic Vonn—thanking the crews who battled the elements and rallying fans for one last ride. The message underscored her hunger: of her 82 World Cup wins, only a handful came stateside, making this finale deeply personal. Well, her prayers were heard and swiftly answered, too.
The sun came out shining on March 23, and Vonn charged down Sun Valley’s Challenger course in the super-G, finishing second in 1:13.64—1.29 seconds behind Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami, who won in 1:12.35 to claim her sixth super-G crystal globe. Vonn’s time edged out Italy’s Federica Brignone (1:13.68) for the silver spot, marking her 138th World Cup podium and making her, at 40, the oldest woman ever to medal in a World Cup race—shattering Alexandra Meissnitzer’s record of 34 years and 9 months set in 2008.
“It’s been a rough season of people saying that I can’t, that I’m too old, that I’m not good enough anymore. I think I proved everyone wrong.” if someone thinks she’s old, well that’s how she responds.”I usually do better when the pressure’s higher,” she told NBC Sports. “It’s the last race of the season. I just put it all on the line. This is the level that I know I can ski. I know I can even do better than that” she added.
LINDSEY VONN IS BACK ON THE PODIUM@lindseyvonn throws down an INCREDIBLE run at the Stifel Sun Valley Finals to take second place in front of the home crowd!#stifelusskiteam pic.twitter.com/Tkz03UxdmT
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) March 23, 2025
The Idaho crowd erupted as Vonn pumped her poles, her trademark grin flashing. After a season of ups (a near-podium in St. Anton) and downs (crashing out in Cortina and Saalbach), this was a heartwarming triumph—a milestone proving her titanium knee and iron will still belong among the elite. But the American flags waving in the Idaho stands weren’t just for her, but for others too.
Other US team members shine at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley
The Sun Valley super-G on March 23, 2025, wasn’t just Lindsey Vonn’s stage—it was a showcase for a Stifel U.S. Ski Team stacked with talent, and the home crowd lapped it up. But Lindsey was not the only one to receive the accolades. Lauren Macuga, the 22-year-old Park City speedster, roared into sixth place at 1:14.23, capping a breakout season that’s got fans buzzing about the next gen talent. Her smooth, fearless run down the 1,829-meter track—hitting speeds near 70 mph—proved she’s no fluke after her St. Anton win earlier this year.
The U.S. men weren’t about to let the women steal all the shine. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, the Vermont veteran with Olympic silver in his trophy case, carved his way to a gritty seventh place in the men’s super-G, clocking 1:12.89—less than a second off winner Marco Odermatt’s 1:11.94. Then there’s Jared Goldberg, the Snowbird-trained 33-year-old, who landed 12th at 1:13.27, a quiet but steady finish that had the crowd nodding in approval.
With only the top 25 in the world qualifying for this Finals showdown, seeing three American men in the top 15—Bryce Bennett rounded it up at 15th with 1:13.45—felt like a flex for a team often overshadowed in speed events. The fans, bundled up and screaming, knew they were witnessing something special.
Vonn’s podium might’ve been the headline, but the depth of this U.S. squad turned heads and set tongues wagging. Macuga’s rise, Cochran-Siegle’s consistency, and Goldberg’s grit gave the Stars and Stripes a broader spotlight on a day when every turn mattered. As the echoes of the cowbells faded over Bald Mountain, the vibe was clear: this wasn’t just Lindsey’s day—it was a collective American moment. And with the giant slalom still to come, the Sun Valley faithful are already gearing up for more.
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