Park City's Lauren Macuga skis into 4th place during the Women’s World Cup Downhill at the Stifel Birds of Prey on December 14, 2024 in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Photo: @dustinsatloff // @usskiteam

VAIL, Colo. — It was an historic day for women’s alpine as they took on the Birds of Prey for the first time in history – but it was also a huge day for Stifel U.S. Ski Team (USST) athlete Lauren Macuga of Park City as she posted a career-best finish on home turf in fourth place.

“I am extremely satisfied that this is my top result in the World Cup and I could not be more happy right now,” said Macuga to the USST.

The venue was flooded with fans from around the world as they awaited the runs of the best downhill women skiers. Chants of “U.S.A.!” could be heard as each American took their turn at the famed course. The hill is historically a men’s course and the women had their first crack at the very technical and steep downhill on Saturday.

At each of Macuga’s split times the fans jumped to their feet as she skied within a half second of the winner, so close to a podium finish. She punched her hands through the finish to snag fourth place – a new career best.

“Last year I thought getting 30th place in the World Cup was crushing it, so to start with a fourth is crazy,” said Macuga.

The key to success on the women’s downhill was taking notes from each training run. Three training runs occurred throughout the week, giving the women ample time to figure out the brand-new track. This new course leveled the playing field in many ways as no one had been on the track before.

“The first training run was definitely checking it out, second training run I felt like I was holding back a little and by the third training run I was hammering down,” said Macuga. “Today I got over my skis a little more and it worked out!”

Not only was it an exciting day for Macuga and Breezy Johnson who ended up in 13th, but their newest teammate Lindsey Vonn, returned to the World Cup by way of fore-running. Vonn gave her course reports to the women up top and cheered them on from the sidelines.

“I am having so much fun; it feels so amazing to be back here,” said Vonn to the USST.

Ultimately, the winner of the first downhill of the season was the previous season’s downhill FIS Crystal Globe winner, Austria’s Cornelia Huetter, second place was Italian force Sofia Goggia, who made her return from injury, third place went to Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami.