St. Moritz, Switzerland — The world of competitive skiing held its breath as Lindsey Vonn made her much-anticipated return to the slopes at the St. Moritz Super-G race after nearly six years away. A crowd buzzing with excitement witnessed not only Vonn's comeback but also the stunning performance of Austria's Cornelia Huetter, who clinched victory amid intense local support for Swiss favorite Lara Gut-Behrami, finishing just 0.18 seconds ahead.
This season's second Super-G saw Huetter continuing her streak from the previous week, having won another race at Beaver Creek, Colorado. The Austrian skier revealed the challenges of the Corviglia course, stating, "After inspection, I thought it would be a little bit easier. But then when I skied down, I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, it’s not easy, it’s really tough.'” Despite trailing Gut-Behrami at each checkpoint, Huetter found her stride on the final stretch to secure her eighth World Cup win, and fifth Super-G title.
For Vonn, the comeback marked not just the end of her retirement, but the chance to test her newly fitted titanium knee, which has been the subject of much discussion since her surgery earlier this year. The legendary skier had endured years of pain, leading to her retirement, but now she reported feeling "amazing" post-surgery, completing the race at 14th place, 1.18 seconds behind Huetter.
Vonn expressed the joy of skiing without the physical agony she had previously endured. "I’m skiing without thinking about my knee, which I really haven’t done since I first tore my ACL in 2013. So it’s been a long time since I felt this good," she said. This unique procedure, the first of its kind for active World Cup competitors, is raising questions about its potential impact on the sport, sparking discussions about whether other athletes might follow suit.
Both Vonn’s personal coach and her doctor seemed optimistic about the success of her knee’s performance under extreme conditions. Coach Chris Knight noted, “There wasn’t a lot of research out there with high-level athletes and partial knee replacements. But so far everything is working really well… I wouldn’t be surprised if other people do it because of the results Vonn has had.” Meanwhile, orthopedic surgeon Andrea Panzeri stated, “This is definitely the first time in World Cup history...I’m not aware of any other elite-level athletes competing with one either.”
Despite the excitement surrounding Vonn’s comeback and Huetter's victory, concerns linger about the risks of competing at such high speeds with artificial joints. Four-time overall World Cup champion Pirmin Zurbriggen expressed his worries about potential injury to Vonn’s new knee. Still, Panzeri assured the public about the safety of the prosthesis, stating, "It’s a small prosthetic...it doesn’t break.”
Vonn's comeback is not merely about personal achievement; it also symbolizes hope for athletes grappling with similar rehabilitation challenges. The multifaceted narrative of this Super-G event stands as inspiration as Vonn, back on the slopes, continues her legacy, all the more intriguing following Huetter's impressive performance.
After the race, Huetter, reflecting on her conditions, said, “It’s really tricky, the gates are coming so fast. The last part I was skiing really good.” Her insights reveal the mental and physical demands of the sport, pushing athletes to their limits and beyond.
Looking forward, Vonn plans to compete again on January 11-12 at St. Anton, Austria, where all eyes will again be on her. The merging tales of triumph and technology invite conversation about the future of skiing, one race at a time.
With another super-G race scheduled for St. Moritz the following day, the anticipation among fans grows as they hope to see both Huetter defend her title and Vonn’s continued success on the slopes.
