Lindsey Vonn places 2nd in a World Cup downhill a day after becoming oldest winner at age 41

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn nearly did it again.

The 41-year-old American finished second in a World Cup downhill on Saturday, a day after becoming the oldest winner in the circuit’s history.

After winning the season’s opening downhill by nearly a full second on Friday, Vonn was beaten by only one racer this time: Emma Aicher of Germany was 0.24 seconds faster.

Vonn attributed a mistake landing a jump midway down her run for the gap, when she nearly lost her balance for an instant and leaned heavily on her left leg to raise herself back up.

“I’m a little bit tired from yesterday, there was a lot of emotion," Vonn told Swiss broadcaster RTS. "I thought I skied pretty well on top then I was just out of balance, I fell on my hip. Yeah, didn’t ski the bottom the way I wanted to.”

Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic champion from Italy, finished third, 0.29 behind, and Breezy Johnson, the American world champion, was fourth, 0.40 back.

Vonn, who is preparing for the Milan Cortina Olympics, went into first position with her run down the sun-drenched Corviglia course. But the 22-year-old Aicher came down next and quickly pushed Vonn out of the leader’s seat.

Vonn returned to skiing last season after nearly six years of retirement — following a partial replacement surgery on her right knee, which included inserting two pieces of titanium.

Vonn’s results are shaping up to make her a top medal contender at the Olympics — and able to compete with skiers half her age. Women’s Alpine skiing at the Feb. 6-22 Winter Games will be contested at Cortina d’Ampezzo, where Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins.

Vonn registered the top speed of 102.45 kph (64 mph) on the top section; increased her speed to 110.02 kph (68 mph) on the bottom and flew a massive 41 meters (yards) off a jump toward the end of her run

Vonn also clocked the fastest time in the final sector — a sign of her increased fitness this season. She said earlier this week that she added 12 pounds (5.5 kilograms) of muscle during dry-land training over the summer and followed a rigid diet.

When Vonn crossed the finish line and saw that she was ahead of Goggia, Vonn celebrated thinking that she had won. She let out a scream, punched the air with one of her poles and then raised her arms over her head, shaking her head in apparent disbelief.

It was Vonn’s 140th podium result and it came in a record-breaking 410th World Cup race. Former Austrian skier Renate Götschl held the previous record with 409 races.

It was Aicher’s third World Cup victory and second in downhill. She’s a rare all-around skier capable of being competitive in all four disciplines — like Vonn at the height of her career.

Aicher also finished on the podium in a slalom this season, placing third in Levi, Finland.

“I’m a little bit surprised, because I haven’t skied speed in a while,” Aicher said. “I’m really happy with how I could keep the skiing from the end of last year, and just managed to build on that.”

Vonn could aim for another victory in a super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday — in a race that fellow American standout Mikaela Shiffrin is also expected to compete in.

Shiffrin has not been racing downhill.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

United States' Lindsey Vonn sprays sparkling wine as she celebrates after finishing second in a alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Luciano Bisi)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, talks to Aksel Lund Svindal as she inspects the course ahead of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Germany's Emma Aicher reacts in the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Luciano Bisi)

United States' Lindsey Vonn gets to the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Luciano Bisi)

United States' Lindsey Vonn reacts in the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Luciano Bisi)

United States' Lindsey Vonn speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A combined missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region killed at least four people and wounded at least 15 overnight into Saturday, according to the head of the regional administration for the Ukrainian capital.

Three of the wounded were in critical condition, of whom two were undergoing surgery, Mykola Kalashnyk reported on Saturday. The attack hit four districts, damaging residential buildings, educational institutions, enterprises and critical infrastructure, Kalashnyk added in a social media post.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the main target for the overnight strikes was "the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region.” He said Russia launched around 430 drones of various types during the night, as well as 68 missiles.

Russia’s Defense Ministry on Saturday said the nighttime strikes targeted energy and industrial facilities serving Ukraine's armed forces, as well as military airfields.

The strikes came days after the U.S. postponed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine scheduled for this week, citing the war in the Middle East.

As U.S. and Israeli missiles and bombs rain on Iran, Russia has responded with words of indignation but no action to support its ally. Moscow’s failure to help another ally, after the 2024 ouster of former Syrian ruler Bashar Assad and January’s U.S. arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, highlighted the limits of its influence — but the Kremlin expects to reap benefits from the Iran war.

Russia is already profiting from a surge in global energy prices, and could hope that the Mideast war will detract attention from Ukraine and deplete Western arsenals.

Zelenskyy on Saturday called on Kyiv's Western partners to pay “one hundred percent attention” to the need to boost the production of air defense missiles.

“Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine," he said in a post on social media.

"We must be fully aware of the real level of the threat and prepare accordingly, namely: in Europe, we need to develop the production of air defense missiles — especially those capable of countering ballistic threats — as well as all other systems necessary to truly protect lives,” he said.

Kyiv is also awaiting White House approval for a major drone production agreement proposed by Ukraine last year, Zelenskyy said Thursday, as countries scramble to modernize their air defenses after the Iran war exposed shortcomings.

Also on Thursday, Zelenskyy criticized the 30-day U.S. waiver on Russian oil sanctions amid the war in the Middle East, saying it is “not the right decision” and won’t help bring a stop to Russia’s more than 4-year-old invasion of Ukraine.

“This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This certainly does not help peace.”

Overnight into Saturday, Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery and port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, local Russian officials reported.

Krasnodar authorities said three people were hurt in a strike on Port Kavkaz, a port opposite Crimea used to ship liquefied natural gas and grains. A service vessel and pier infrastructure were damaged, they said in a social media post. One person was hospitalized, they added in a separate post later.

Falling drone debris also sparked a fire at the region’s Afipsky oil refinery, authorities said in a separate Telegram post. They said no one was hurt, but did not immediately comment on damage.

Earlier this week, Russian and Ukrainian officials both claimed front-line progress, with Ukraine saying it pushed Moscow’s forces back across places on the front line and the Kremlin insisting Russia’s invasion of its neighbor is making progress.

Firefighters put out the fire at railway workshops following a Russia missile and drone attack, in Brovary close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Firefighters put out the fire at railway workshops following a Russia missile and drone attack, in Brovary, close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Firefighters put out the fire at a residential neighbourhood following a Russia missile and drone attack, in Brovary, close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint presser with France's President Emmanuel Macron, not pictured, following a bilateral meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, Friday March 13, 2026. (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP)