Ilka Stuhec edges Sofia Goggia for World Cup downhill win
Slovenia's Ilka Stuhec gets to the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill in Soldeu, Andorra, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Alessandro Trovati
SOLDEU, Andorra — Ilka Stuhec completed her downhill season Wednesday by edging Sofia Goggia for victory at the World Cup Finals.
The two-time world champion raced down the sun-bathed slope to finish 0.51 seconds ahead of Goggia, who was the dominant downhill racer this season.
Lara Gut-Behrami was third, 0.81 seconds behind Stuhec.
Stuhec added a second victory in an impressive season when she was also runner-up at two of Goggia’s five downhill victories. They were the 32-year-old Slovenian skier’s first podium finishes since retaining her world championship title in downhill in February 2019 in Are, Sweden.
Stuhec’s past three seasons were affected by injuries and last April she split with the coach she worked with since 2019.
Goggia’s season-long downhill title was the fourth in the past five seasons for the 2018 Olympic champion from Italy.
Elena Curtoni, one of only four racers to win a World Cup downhill this season, crashed Wednesday, as did Nina Ortlieb. They did not appear to be seriously injured.
Slovenia's Ilka Stuhec speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill in Soldeu, Andorra, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Giovanni Zenoni
Mikaela Shiffrin, the overall World Cup champion who won her record 87th career victory last weekend, did not compete in the downhill. She should return for the super-G on Thursday.
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