Laura Pirovano captured the women’s downhill title by winning the final race of the season in Kvitfjell, clocking 1:30.85 and finishing 0.15 seconds ahead of American Breezy Johnson, with Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann third at +0.25. Her closest rival, Germany’s Emma Aicher, placed fifth and ended the season 83 points behind in the standings.
For the 28-year-old Italian, it marked a dramatic breakthrough. Until early March, she had never reached a World Cup podium in more than 120 starts. In just a few weeks, she transformed her season with three consecutive downhill victories, securing her first Crystal Globe in the discipline.
Pirovano’s late surge proved decisive in a season shaped by unexpected twists. Lindsey Vonn, who had led the standings with 2 wins and multiple podiums, saw her campaign end after a leg injury at the Milano–Cortina Olympics. Each race victory is worth 100 points, and Pirovano’s final push allowed her to overtake all rivals at the last moment.
The Italian success extended to the men’s event, where Dominik Paris won the Lillehammer downhill. He posted a time of 1:45.37, beating Switzerland’s Franjo Von Allmen by 0.19 seconds and Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr by 0.60. It was a significant result for Paris, who secured his first win of the season and confirmed his status among the top specialists.
Despite Paris’s victory, the overall men’s downhill title had already been clinched by Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, leaving the Italian to finish third in the discipline standings.
The Lillehammer finals highlighted a turning point for Italian alpine skiing, combining Pirovano’s rapid rise – from 0 podiums to 3 wins in a single month – with Paris’s continued competitiveness at the highest level.
