One of the World Championships’ highlights, women’s downhill, was held in Saalbach on Saturday. The weather was once again perfect, and the crowds gathered around the Ulli Maier course expecting another thrilling spectacle.
The Downhill Saturday
The downhill track on the Ulli Maier course was once more challenging, not because of the gates or tricky turns but because of the terrain, as usual during these championships. Many flat sections required a silky-smooth touch from the racers. Many rollers and terrain underfoot would throw the skiers in the air, but they should spend as little time in the air as possible. And just let the skis run. The downhill on Saturday demanded courage, determination, and a perfect feel for the snow.
With bib number 1, Breezy Johnson (USA) came down the slope and set the time of 1.49.29 seconds. Being the first racer to finish is always tricky; you never know if your run was good enough. But this time, it was. Some racers were better than Breezy in the upper section of the track, but down the slope, nobody came even close to her performance. Ester Ledecka (CZE) was very close but only managed third, bringing home her country’s first-ever World Championships downhill medal.
The Austrians once more had cause to celebrate another medal as Mirjam Puchner squeezed in between Johnson and Ledecka to take silver.
Many favorites seemed a little off on this track: Sofia Goggia (ITA) finished 16th, Federica Brignone (ITA) 10th, Corinne Suter (SUI) 7th, and Lara Gut-Behrami did not finish. The local hero, Cornelia Hütter, was fourth, close to the podium, and Lauren Macuga continued to prove her fantastic form and finished fifth. Lindsey Vonn did not add more to the American joy this time, as she finished 15th without making any grave mistake. But she enjoyed skiing here, as her smile testified in the end.
Who Is Breezy Johnson
Breezy Johnson is a deserving prize winner, as she underwent a series of serious obstacles to get here.
In March 2017, during the World Cup finals in Aspen, she suffered a tibial plateau fracture in her left leg after a terrifying crash. She recovered swiftly and returned to competition the following season. However, in September 2018, while training in Chile, she partially tore her right ACL, causing her to miss the entire 2019 season. Her misfortune continued in June 2019 when she tore the PCL and MCL in her left knee during training.
Breezy is one of the racers who speak up for the causes they see as important. This year, she criticized the FIS for not caring enough for the tracks of paralympic athletes. She also openly spoke about her struggles with anxiety and fear in the speed competitions, inspiring people around her.
But more than injuries troubled her career. In May 2024, she received a 14-month suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency due to three whereabouts failures within 12 months, violating anti-doping regulations. This does not mean that Johnson did use a forbidden substance. However, she missed her doping control three times in a row. World Cup athletes are required to be available for control all the time, as that is the only way to ensure that they are clean in the competition. Pre-race or post-race tests are not enough in today’s environment. Thus, athletes must always inform the authorities of their whereabouts and be where they said they were. And precisely that rule Breezy broke.
This suspension sidelined her from October 2023 until December 2024. She returned to World Cup racing this season with a 13th place in the Beaver Creek downhill, but already in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, she stood close to the podium, finishing fourth.
Breezy Johnson truly embodies resilience and determination. Her success connects her to another sports giant: She is the first American woman to win a downhill World Championships gold since Lindsey Vonn in 2009.
