Shiffrin, Bassino, Huetter, and Lie Vickhoff Méribel 2023 GEPA pictures
Who, When, and How to Watch the 2025 World Championship Super-G
The Women’s Super-G at the 2025 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships is scheduled for February 6 in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria. This event will challenge elite female skiers on a demanding terrain filled course.
Course Overview
The race takes place on the Zwölferkogel Mountain within the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski area. The course features a start altitude of 1,650 meters (5,413 feet) and a finish altitude of 1,070 meters (3,520 feet), resulting in a vertical drop of 580 meters (1,903 feet) over a length of 1,655 meters (5,430 feet). These specifications highlight the significant physical demands placed on the athletes.
Key Course Features
A notable section near the middle station includes two challenging jumps: the “Ulli Maier Sprung” and the “Panoramasprung.” Within a few hundred meters, athletes encounter these demanding jumps while reaching top speeds. This sequence tests their skills and courage, making it a pivotal area of the race.
Challenges Ahead
The demanding nature of the Zwölferkogel course poses significant challenges. Its steep pitches and large jumps require solid technique and control. Skiers must navigate these features while maintaining high speeds and testing their physical and mental endurance.
As the competition approaches, anticipation builds to see how these athletes will tackle one of the most challenging courses in women’s alpine skiing.
2023 World Championships Recap
At the 2023 World Championships in Méribel, Italy’s Marta Bassino clinched the gold medal in the women’s super-G. As the reigning world champion, Bassino’s participation allows Italy to field five skiers in the women’s super-G at the Saalbach championships. This season, her best finishes are two sixth places in Beaver Creek and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
The silver medal in 2023 went to Mikaela Shiffrin of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. However, she will not compete in the super-G at Saalbach, as she is still recovering from injuries sustained in a crash during a giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont, on November 30, 2024.
Austria’s Cornelia Hütter and Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie shared the bronze medal. Both athletes are set to race in Saalbach. Hütter secured a super-G victory in St. Moritz this season, while Vickhoff Lie finished second in the most recent super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Last Season’s Super-G in Saalbach
The final women’s super-G of the 2023–24 World Cup season was held in Saalbach on March 22, 2024. Ester Ledecká won, with Federica Brignone finishing second and Vickhoff Lie in third. Lara Gut-Behrami secured the season’s Super-G Crystal Globe despite placing seventh. The race previewed the challenges skiers will face at the 2025 World Championships.
Final Super-G Before Saalbach Championships
On January 26 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Switzerland’s Gut-Behrami claimed her first World Cup super-G victory of the season. Norway’s Vickhoff Lie finished second, and Italy’s Brignone took third. Notably, Brignone won the previous super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 19. These results highlight the athletes’ strong form heading into the Saalbach World Championships.
This Season’s Podium Finishers
Five women’s super-G races have shaped the standings:
- Beaver Creek, USA: Sofia Goggia (ITA), Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Ariane Raedler (AUT)
- St. Moritz, Switzerland: Cornelia Huetter (AUT), Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Sofia Goggia (ITA)
- St. Anton, Austria: Lauren Macuga (USA), Stephanie Venier (AUT), Federica Brignone (ITA)
- Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy: Federica Brignone (ITA), Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Corinne Suter (SUI)
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany: Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR), Federica Brignone (ITA)
These results highlight the key contenders heading into the Saalbach World Championships, with Gut-Behrami, Brignone, and Goggia consistently battling for podium finishes this season.
2024-25 Super-G World Cup Standings Top 15
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Composition of the Top 15
Italy has five skiers ranked in the top 15, but without Bassino’s reigning world champion status, one would have been left out of the Saalbach start list. Austria follows with four skiers, placing its entire quota inside the top 15. Switzerland and the United States each have two representatives, while Norway and the Czech Republic have one each.
With six nations represented, the depth of competition heading into Saalbach highlights the international strength of the women’s super-G field.
With six nations represented, the depth of competition heading into Saalbach highlights the international strength of the women’s super-G field.
Forty women from 19 countries are entered to compete in the Feb. 6 Saalbach Women’s FIS Alpine Ski World Championships Super-G.
North American Women in Saalbach Super-G: World Cup Ranked
Spotlight on North Americans
Stifel U.S. Ski Team Super-G Athletes
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team has selected four women to compete in the super-G at the Saalbach World Championships.
Lauren Macuga, competing in her first World Championships, earned her spot with a breakthrough super-G victory on January 12 in St. Anton, Austria.
Lindsey Vonn, a veteran with three career World Championship Super-G podiums, including a gold medal in Val d’Isère 2009, posted her best result this season with a fourth-place finish in St. Anton.
Keely Cashman, also making her World Championships debut, recorded a career-best sixth place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Breezy Johnson enters her fourth World Championships, with her best World Cup Super-G finish this season as 20th in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
This mix of experience and rising talent gives the U.S. a well-rounded team heading into Saalbach.
The Canadians will enter Valérie Grenier. Grenier’s best super-G this season was 15th in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the only one of the three she entered. She has, however, participated in five previous World Championship super-G races in 2015,’17,’19, ’21 and 2023 with her best finish as 19th in 2015 and 2019. She did not finish in 2021 or 2023.
Britt Richardson will also be entered, who is in her second World Championships and has never scored World Cup Super-G points. Cassidy Gray is also in her second World Championships and scored two super-G points last season in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Canadian Contenders
Canada will enter Valérie Grenier and Cassidy Gray in the Saalbach Super-G.
Grenier, the nation’s top super-G skier, has raced three World Cup super-G events this season, with her best finish as 15th in Cortina d’Ampezzo. She brings experience to the World Championships, having competed in five previous editions of the event. Her best super-G result at Worlds was 19th, achieved in 2015 and 2019. However, she did not finish in 2021 or 2023.
Gray, in her second World Championships, has earned two World Cup Super-G points in last season’s race in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
With a mix of experience and developing talent, the Canadian trio aims to make an impact on race day.
North American Athletes Racing Super-G
- Bib 14, Lauren Macuga, Stifel USST, Park City Ski Team, Winter Sports School
- Bib 23, Breezy Johnson, Stifel USST, Rowmark Ski Academy, Atomic
- Bib 24, Valérie Grenier, ACA, Club de Ski Mont Tremblant
- Bib 27, Keely Cashman, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, Oakley, HEAD
- Bib 30, Lindsey Vonn, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, HEAD, Oakley
- Bib 38, Cassidy Gray, ACA, Team Panorama, Atomic
How and When to Watch
The race starts at 5:30 a.m. Eastern and 2:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
U.S. audiences can watch the race live or as a replay on Ski and Snowboard Live.
Sports enthusiasts in Canada can watch the World Cup on CBC Sports.
Daily Program and Start List
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Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
