The women's World Cup downhill race in Crans Montana, Switzerland, was cancelled on January 30, 2026, after the first six starters encountered difficulties amid worsening visibility. American skier Lindsey Vonn crashed during her run, injuring her left knee, in an incident that highlighted the challenging conditions. Race officials prioritized athlete safety in making the decision.
The race began at 10 a.m. under overcast skies in the Swiss Alps, but flat light quickly deteriorated, making the course increasingly hazardous. The first starter, Austria's Nina Ortlieb, failed to finish after taking a poor line at a critical spot. Subsequent racers, including Norway's Marte Monsen and the United States' Lindsey Vonn as the sixth starter, also did not complete their runs, with Vonn spinning out on a jump landing and sliding into safety nets, grimacing as she approached the finish area.
World Cup race director Peter Gerdol explained the jury's decision to halt the event: “The main reason is the safety of the athletes. The visibility was getting worse and worse, they couldn’t see the race line properly and it caused mistakes. We saw six athletes starting and all six had some mistakes. This was a sign that it was a high-risk situation.” He added that the flat light made safety impossible to guarantee.
Despite the cancellation about 25 minutes after Vonn's crash, a post-race meeting of officials and coaches agreed the conditions were safe at the time of the incidents. Gerdol noted good light at Vonn's crash spot, attributing it to a missed line. Austria's coach Roland Assinger echoed this, saying Ortlieb's exit stemmed from racing error, not light, and compared it favorably to a fog-shrouded race in Tarvisio, Italy, two weeks prior.
American racer Breezy Johnson expressed frustration on a hot mic, questioning the cancellation after harsher conditions elsewhere, later apologizing on social media. Swiss commentator Patrice Morisod argued that cancelling such races would undermine the sport.
The tight turns near the finish, which nearly caught leader Jacqueline Wiles and felled Monsen, drew criticism. Gerdol announced a course review ahead of the 2027 world championships in Crans Montana. For Vonn, the crash complicates her Olympic preparations, with the Milan Cortina downhill set for the following weekend; she remains listed for Saturday's super-G.
