Lindsey Vonn finishes ninth in second downhill of season

By Nate ClarkJan 19, 2019, 6:31 AM EST

U.S. skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn was back for her second race in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Saturday, cracking the top 10, but still looking to recapture the speed necessary to win on the World Cup.

Ninth out of the gate, Vonn’s time gradually slipped behind leader, Austria’s Romona Siebenhofer, as she made her way to the bottom of the mountain. Vonn crossed the finish line with the fourth best time, but found herself in ninth after every skier had their say. Full results are here.

Friday marked Vonn’s return to World Cup competition after her season was put on hold when she injured her knee in November. Vonn’s history of injuries and the list of protective gear she now wears while racing are equally long. During Friday’s race, Vonn sported matching knee braces under her ski suit for the first time. Vonn even equips herself with a body airbag under her suit which deploys if she crashes.

“I wear two knee braces and an airbag and maybe I should just ski in bubble wrap. I’ve got a mouth guard. I’ve got a helmet, air bag, back protector, knee braces. I think that’s as much as really you can have, besides arm braces at this point,” Vonn said after Friday’s race according to the Associated Press.

Vonn is doing the best she can to adjust to the challenges caused by her newly-acquired accessories.

“It’s a little weird. Sometimes [the knee braces] click together,” Vonn said according to the Associated Press. “It’s definitely not aerodynamic, that’s for sure. But it’s better than not racing. Do what I got to do.”

Saturday’s downhill podium featured two skiers from Friday’s top three. Siebenhofer’s time was the best of the day once again as the Austrian won her second downhill in as many days. Second to Siebenhofer on the podium was her countrywoman, and downhill World Cup points leader, Nicole Schmidhofer, who finished in 12th in Friday’s race. Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec followed up her second place finish from Friday with a return trip to the podium, this time in third.

Tomorrow the women’s World Cup wraps up in Italy with the super-G, with World Cup points leader in the event, the U.S.’ Mikaela Shiffrin, scheduled to race. Watch live on TV on Olympic Channel or stream it on NBC Sports Gold starting at 5:00 a.m. EST.

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Canada wins men’s hockey world title; Latvia wins first medal

Associated PressMay 28, 2023, 8:00 PM EDT

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TAMPERE, Finland — Samuel Blais scored two goals to rally Canada to a 5-2 victory over Germany in the final of the world men’s hockey championship on Sunday.

It’s a record 28th world title for Canada, and its second in three years. Russia has 27 while Germany has never won the trophy.

Blais netted with a backhand 4:51 into the final period for a 3-2 lead for Canada, which was playing in its fourth straight final.

“It feels really good,” Blais said. “We’ve been in Europe for a month and we’ve all waited for that moment to play for the gold medal game. And we’re lucky enough to have won it.”

Lawson Crouse, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada, Peyton Krebs had two assists and goaltender Samuel Montembeault stopped 21 shots.

Toffoli stretched the lead to 4-2 from the left circle with 8:09 remaining and Laughton made it 5-2 with an empty net goal.

Adam Fantilli became only the second Canadian player after Jonathan Toews to win gold at the world juniors and world championship the same year.

Canada had to come back twice in the final.

John Peterka wristed a shot past Montembeault from the left circle 7:44 into the game. It was the sixth goal for the Buffalo Sabres forward at the tournament.

Blais was fed by Krebs to beat goaltender Mathias Niederberger and tie it 1-1 at 10:47.

Daniel Fischbuch put the Germans ahead again with a one-timer with 6:13 to go in the middle period.

Crouse equalized on a power play with 2:32 remaining in the frame.

It was the first medal for Germany since 1953 when it was second behind Sweden.

The two previously met just once in the final with Canada winning 6-1 in 1930.

LATVIA GETS BRONZE

Defenseman Kristian Rubins scored his second goal 1:22 into overtime to lead Latvia to a 4-3 victory over the United States and earn a bronze medal earlier Sunday.

It’s the first top-three finish for Latvia at the tournament. Its previous best was a seventh place it managed three times.

The U.S. lost in the bronze medal game for the second straight year. The U.S. team was cruising through the tournament with eight straight wins until it was defeated by Germany in the semifinal 4-3 in overtime.

Rubins rallied Latvia with his first with 5:39 to go in the final period to tie the game at 3 to force overtime.

Roberts Bukarts and Janis Jaks also scored for Latvia.

Rocco Grimaldi scored twice for the U.S. in the opening period to negate Latvia’s 1-0 and 2-1 leads.

Matt Coronato had put the U.S. 3-2 ahead 6:19 into the final period.

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2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 28, 2023, 5:15 PM EDT

At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

Main draw play began Sunday, live on Peacock.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Turning 22 during the tournament, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her most recent match with a right thigh injury last week and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

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