Shiffrin's crash overshadows Venier's downhill win in Cortina

Austria's Stephanie Venier claimed her first win of the season in the downhill World Cup race in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy on Friday, but her victory was overshadowed by a crash involving US superstar Mikaela Shiffrin.

The record alpine skiing winner crashed into the safety nets after losing control while landing a jump. She received first aid on the scene of the accident before being helped off the course with her left boot raised off the snow.

There was no immediate statement from the US ski team or race organizers about her condition. She had to be taken off the slope by helicopter.

Shiffrin tops the overall World Cup standings as she seeks a third consecutive title and sixth in her career.

Venier claimed the second World Cup win of her career, first since 2019, by clocking the fastest time of 1 minute 33.06 seconds and defeating 2022 Olympic champion Lara Gut-Behrami by .39 of a second.

Third place went to three athletes who clocked the same time: Canada's Valerie Grenier, Christina Ager of Austria and 2018 Olympic champion Sofia Goggia who was racing on home soil.

Italy's Federica Brignone, another top skier, also crashed shortly after the race resumed following the delay because of Shiffrin’s fall, but she got right up and proceeded to ski down.

Olympic champion Corinne Suter, meanwhile, pulled up midway down her run with an apparent injury on he left knee.

"This year, Cortina is more dangerous than the last few years. There are a few more hills. You have to ski very actively," Norway's Kajsa Vickhoff-Lie said.