Viktoria Rebensburg mastered the Kandahar course on Saturday for her first career win in a women’s World Cup downhill.
Her victory came a week after the men’s race on the same hill was also won by a German skier, Thomas Dressen.
Rebensburg had a near-flawless run to beat Federica Brignone by 0.61 seconds.
Germany's Viktoria Rebensburg competes during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Garmish Partenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. (AP PhotoGianni Auletta)
The Italian's third straight podium finish in a downhill helped her close the gap to leader Mikaela Shiffrin in the overall standings to 190 points. The American three-time overall champion is taking a break from ski racing since the death of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, last week.
Ester Ledecka, the Czech athlete competing on both the Alpine skiing and snowboarding World Cup circuits, finished 0.83 behind in third.
Sofia Goggia of Italy and Switzerland's Corinne Suter, who leads the discipline standings ahead of Shiffrin, placed fourth and fifth respectively.
Italy's Federica Brignone competes during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Garmish Partenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. (AP PhotoGianni Auletta)
The rest of the field, led by former World Cup downhill champion Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia, finished more than 1.5 seconds off the lead.
Rebensburg became the 10th different winner in the last 10 women’s downhills. The list also includes Shiffrin, who won in Bansko, Bulgaria, two weeks ago.
It was the German’s 19th career win and second of the season, after triumphing in a super-G at Lake Louise, Alberta, in December.
Czech Republic's Ester Ledecka reacts as she crosses the finish line of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Garmish Partenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. (AP PhotoMarco Tacca)
Her strongest discipline is the giant slalom, where she won Olympic gold in 2010 and three World Cup season titles, as well as silver at the world championship last year.
A super-G on the same course is scheduled for Sunday.
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