Lindsay Vonn has kick started her campaign for five gold medals by creating history. In a competition studded with spectacular crashes, she bagged the women’s downhill gold medal in Whistler and in the process won the first ever gold for the USA in the event.

With the gold and silver medallists from the previous Torino Olympics not making an appearance, and with hot favourite Vonn recovering from a muscle contusion on her shin, the women’s’ downhill gold was up for grabs.

Overnight sub zero temperatures leading into the first clear day since the Olympics began resulted in an ideal firm and fast course. Race team workers had been stamping out bumps on the track since 2am, ensuring a smooth surface, but those who veered outside the blue race line found themselves out of the race, including a host of medal contenders.   

Dominique Gisin (SWE), two time world cup winner, took a spectacular fall 200m from the finish, bouncing heavily and becoming entangled in her equipment. Marion Rolland, from France, didn’t reach the first gate, crashing two pushes from the start.

The next skier immediately after Rolland, Anja Paerson (SWE), winner of five Olympic medals and 41 world cups had the second biggest crash of the day on the same corner as team mate Gisin.

In position for silver, she lost control, flying over 60m, further than the length of an Olympic sized swimming pool, to land by the finish line and walk away.

Elena Prosteva of Russia had undoubtedly the largest accident of the day, sliding into netting on the side of the course. Competition paused for almost thirty minutes while she was airlifted from the course by helicopter.  

Daniella Merighetti of Italy and the second youngest competitor Alice McKennis (21 years), also failed to complete the course while youngest competitor Noelle Barahona (CHI) fell at the finish, sliding under the banner featuring a skier.  

Of those left standing, Julia Manusco (USA) stepped out of the shadow of circuit darlings Vonn and Reisch to claim silver. The Turin gold medal winner (Giant Slalom) and four time world cup winner, who traditionally performs well under pressure, pulled out a precise run after a year plagued by injury.

Elisabeth Goergl of Austria is the heart warming story of the day, and now walking in the footsteps of her mother by winning the bronze medal. Traudl Hecher also won bronze in the downhill event at Innsbruck in 1964.

But all eyes were on Lindsey Vonn as she skied into the start of her destiny, winning with a convincing 0.54 over teammate Manusco. Vonn is currently the most successful woman skier in US history and is going for a record five gold medals in her first Olympic Games.


Flip Byrnes  
AOC Vancouver