Macuga Shines with a Super-G Bronze Medal at the World Championships

In Thursday’s first World Championships speed race in Saalbach, Austria, 22-year-old Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lauren Macuga won the bronze medal in the super-G. It was her first World Championships start and makes her the youngest skier to win a World Champs medal in a speed event in 12 years.

“It was all about that mentality and you can hear me talk to myself, like ‘come on, give it everything you got,’” said Macuga. “Coming down that course I knew there would be some big jumps and crucial parts, so I was just trusting the line and going for it.” 

It was a beautiful sunny day with a perfect race surface. The women had already skied the slope twice with two downhill training runs earlier in the week, and with their head coach setting the super-G, they were prepared for a big day. 

Macuga was the first U.S. skier for the team wearing bib 14 and she sent it from the top. She lost a little bit of time in the middle, but skied to the line to tie Norwegian Kajsa Lie for third. 

“Coming into this year, I was just hoping to make the team,” Macuga said. “It’s just cool to see that I’m figuring out how to do it more and more consistently.”

Macuga comes from an impressive family, with three daughters all on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team. While her father and sister Alli are in Park City while Alli competes in moguls at the Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel at Deer Valley and her sister Sam competes at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Lake Placid, mother Amy was in the finish in Saalbach. Lauren and her mother had an emotional moment in the finish after her run. 

“Oh my gosh to have my mom in the finish here - it's so fun and such a cool experience,” said Macuga. 

Macuga has become a consistent contender in the speed disciplines this season. She won her first World Cup in the St. Anton super-G in early January, which was also her first World Cup podium. In Beaver Creek at the Stifel Birds of Prey, she also claimed a personal best downhill result in fourth. Now she has earned her first World Championships medal in her first appearance at the biannual event. 

Austrian fans had an exciting day with Stephanie Venier claiming the top spot with a gold. Italy’s Federica Brignone claimed the silver medal position. Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Breezy Johnson and Keely Cashman also raced hard in the super-G. Johnson landed in 19th with Cashman in 24th. Teammate Lindsey Vonn had a few strong splits on her run until she hooked a gate with her arm and was thrown out. She did not finish but is OK. 

Next on the docket for the World Championships event is the men’s super-G on Friday. 

RESULTS
Women's super-G

HOW TO WATCH 
5:30 a.m. ET - men’s World Championships super-G, Saalbach, AUT - skiandsnowboard.live