Austrian skier Stephanie Venier wins women's super-G world title
Austrian skier Stephanie Venier won the women's super-G at the Alpine skiing world championships on Thursday in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria.
Federica Brignone of Italy finished 0.10 seconds behind to take the silver medal, while Lauren Macuga of the United States and Kajsa Vickhoff Lie of Norway shared bronzes, 0.24 off the lead.
WATCH | Venier captures world championship gold on home mountain:
Austria's Stephanie Venier wins world championship super-G gold on home mountain
1 hour ago
Duration 2:25
Canada's Cassidy Grey finished 20th after she was forced to do a re-run, after her first run was halted because organizers needed to fix the course following a crash.
WATCH | Canadian Gray finishes 20th in world championship super-G:
B.C.'s Cassidy Gray finishes 20th in world championship super-G
48 minutes ago
Duration 1:59
Lindsey Vonn hooked a gate with her right arm early in her run and did not finish in her first appearance at the worlds in six years. She avoided falling and was able to stop but then grasped her arm in apparent pain.
The gate pressed on her forearm, locked her elbow by her side and pushed the whole arm back with pressure on her shoulder.
WATCH | Gray describes her wild day at worlds:
Cassidy Gray describes her wild day at the office at the world alpine ski championships
27 minutes ago
Duration 2:31
Cassidy Gray of Invermere, B.C., spoke with CBC Sports' Devin Heroux, following her 20th place finish in the women's super-G at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. Gray was forced to do a re-run, after her first run was halted because organizers needed to fix the course following a crash.
Spectators in the area let out a collective gasp of astonishment and grew silent with concern. Vonn skied down to the finish and waved to the crowd.
Live streaming coverage through the 13-day world alpine ski championship will be available on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
Vonn retired in 2019 after winning bronze in downhill in Are, Sweden, following several injuries, but returned to the circuit this season with a new titanium right knee.
WATCH | American Vonn crashes into a gate:
Lindsey Vonn crashes into a gate during the world championship super-G
3 minutes ago
Duration 1:58
The race started in mostly sunny conditions, but more clouds came in after the first half hour. More parts of the course were in the shadow when Vonn started in 30th position.
Venier was the 2013 junior world champion in super-G but a silver in downhill from the 2017 worlds was her only medal in a senior race before Thursday's triumph.
"It sounds unreal. I slept so bad last night, I was so nervous," Venier told Austrian TV. "I was extremely nervous at the start, I didn't know how to handle, but it was probably a good omen."
WATCH | Venier tells CBC Sports about her win in front of a home crowd:
Austria's Stephanie Venier thrilled to win world championship super-G in front of a home crowd
14 minutes ago
Duration 0:49
Stephanie Venier spoke with CBC Sports' Devin Heroux as it was being announced that she had officially won the women's super-G at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
Venier has three career World Cup wins, including one in a super-G in Switzerland a year ago.
Thursday's opening race at the worlds took place exactly one year before the 2026 opening ceremony for the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canada News.Net
3 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
WTA roundup: Canadian teen Victoria Mboko wins title in Montreal
(Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images) Canadian 18-year-old Victoria Mboko completed a Cinderella run at the National Bank Open, defeating Japanese star Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Thursday night to capture the WTA 1000 title in Montreal. Mboko became the third Canadian woman to win her national open following Faye Urban (1969) and Bianca Andreescu (2019). Mboko won her first WTA title of any kind and will rocket to No. 25 in the world rankings next week. When Osaka gave her the match-winning point by hitting a back-handed shot into the net, Mboko dropped her racquet and went to her knees while covering her face. 'It's been an incredible week here in Montreal,' Mboko said. '... I also want to thank Naomi for an incredible match. I've always looked up to her when I was really little, so it's always great to play with an amazing player like you.' Mboko's stunning tournament was highlighted by a straight-sets upset of No. 1 seed Coco Gauff in the Round of 16. She also took down No. 9 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the semifinals, rallying from a set down just as she did in the final. Osaka controlled the first set Thursday, winning the first three games and never facing a break point. Then came a topsy-turvy second set in which the returning player broke the server in each of the first five games, resulting in a 3-2 Mboko lead. Mboko won a service game and broke Osaka again for a 5-2 lead en route to evening the match. After each woman broke the other to start the third set, Mboko ran the table by claiming the final five games. The championship match featured 14 service breaks, more than half of the 25 total games. That's where Mboko found her advantage, as she converted 8 of 9 opportunities to break Osaka's serve while saving 7 of 13 break points herself. Cincinnati Open Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain defeated Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round in Mason, Ohio. Williams, 45, was in the field as a wild card as she continues her return to competitive tennis after more than a year away. Her next planned appearance will be in the U.S. Open mixed doubles draw with Reilly Opelka. The opening day of action saw a trio of three-setters during the early action. Romania's Sorana Cirstea beat Croatia's Donna Vekic 6-1, 4-6, 6-3; Mexico's Renata Zarazua rallied past Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; and Germany's Eva Lys battled past Bernarda Pera 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Other winners included Maya Joint of Australia, Anastasia Potapova of Russia, Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, Aoi Ito of Japan, Olga Danilovic of Serbia and Tatjana Maria of Germany. The two night matches pitted Clervie Ngounoue against Hailey Baptiste and Peyton Stearns against China's Yafan Wang.
Japan Forward
3 hours ago
- Japan Forward
Naomi Osaka Falls to Teenager Victoria Mboko in the National Bank Open Final
Appearing in her first WTA 1000 final since April 2022, Naomi Osaka won the first set against her 18-year-old opponent. Mboko bounced back to win the title. Naomi Osaka hits a return to Victoria Mboko in the National Bank Open women's singles final on August 7, 2025, in Montreal, Canada. (©David Kirouac/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko completed a stirring display of dominance at the National Bank Open on Thursday, August 7, beating Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the women's singles final. The 85th-ranked Mboko collected her first WTA Tour title by vanquishing a quartet of former Grand Slam winners along the way. She outplayed world No 27 Sofia Kenin in the round of 64 and conquered second-ranked Coco Gauff in straight sets in the round of 16. In the semifinals, Mboko, who began the year as the 333rd-ranked women's player, outlasted 2022 Wimbledon winner and 10th-ranked Elena Rybakina, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4). Naomi Osaka (KYODO) That set up a showdown with Osaka, who had a resurgence in Montreal, competing in her first tournament under new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. It was the first head-to-head matchup between Mboko and Osaka, who is 27. "I want to thank Naomi for an incredible match," Mboko said during the trophy presentation. "I've always looked up to her when I was very little. It's always great to play with such an amazing player like you." The rising star added, "I couldn't be more grateful." Victoria Mboko holds the National Bank Open winner's trophy. (David Kirouac/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) Since the outset of the tournament, Osaka appeared reinvigorated at the National Bank Open, exhibiting positive energy and a strong overall display of tennis skills. This included a hard-earned victory over Denmark's world No 15 Clara Tauson in Wednesday's semifinals. In the semifinal match, Osaka saved two set points in the second set, a pivotal factor in her 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) triumph. That carried Osaka to her first WTA 1000 (top-tier level) final since April 2022, when Iga Swiatek beat her in the Miami Open. Osaka didn't provide a detailed analysis of her performance against Mboko during the post-match trophy presentation. Instead, she kept her message short, peppering it with thank-yous. "I don't want to take up too much time, so I'll just say thank you to everyone," Osaka said. "Thank you to my team, thank you to the ball kids, thank you to the organizers and all the volunteers. And I hope you guys had a good night." Naomi Osaka competes in the National Bank Open final. (KYODO) Vying for her first title since winning the Australian Open for the second time in 2021, 49th-ranked Osaka had a stellar start in the first set against Mboko. The teenager struggled with her serve early in the first set, helping Osaka rack up points. (Mboko finished with 13 double faults to Osaka's five.) But in the second set, Mboko gained the upper hand with an impressive start, grabbing a 5-2 lead. During their spirited competition, featuring a number of strong rallies, both women showed the power of their forehand and backhand returns. Victoria Mboko hits a return to Naomi Osaka. (David Kirouac/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) Mboko's youthful exuberance was also instrumental in her comeback. She won eight of her nine break points. In doing so, she capitalized on scoring opportunities with Osaka serving. Most importantly, Mboko did this with four crucial break points in the fourth game of the third set, propelling her to a 3-1 lead that Osaka could not fend off. Mboko won the final game of the third set and clinched the title when an Osaka return sailed into the net. The Canadian fans rooting for Mboko cheered in English and French, with many holding up signs that read " Alliez, Vicky " (Go, Vicky). There was enthusiastic applause for Mboko and Osaka after the match during the trophy presentation. Mboko summed up her experience at the National Bank Open by saying, "It's been an incredible week here in Montreal." The Canadian will climb to 25th when the updated world rankings are released on Monday, August 11. Osaka will also rise in the rankings, likely to 24th. Speaking to reporters in Montreal, Osaka was informed that Mboko said she was her idol back in 2021. In response to learning this, Osaka said, "I don't think that's ever happened," reported. She added, "Yeah, I mean, I'm really honored. I always said that I would love to play someone that looked up to me in a way, so it's happening way sooner than I thought it would." Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian teen Mboko defeats Osaka to win National Bank Open title
MONTREAL – She's a rising star, a fighter — and now, a champion. Victoria Mboko did it again on Thursday night, rallying back through a wrist injury to defeat four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the National Bank Open final, capping a fairytale run that fans across Canada won't soon forget. The 18-year-old Canadian tennis sensation dropped to her knees after Osaka fired a shot into the net as a packed house hit ear-splitting decibels around IGA Stadium's centre court. 'It's been an incredible week here in Montreal,' Mboko told the crowd in a post-match ceremony. 'Montreal, je vous aime!' Mboko hugged her family and coaches in the courtside box after gutting out another thrilling comeback to claim her first career WTA title — at a 1000-level event, no less. She became the third Canadian to win the hometown tournament in the Open Era, joining Bianca Andreescu (2019) and Faye Urban (1969), and the first to do so in Montreal. And Mboko did it with a stiff and swollen wrist that was 'hard to move.' After falling hard early in Wednesday's third set, Mboko woke up Thursday morning and rushed to the hospital for X-rays and an MRI, but ultimately received the green light to play. 'Today was such an eventful day actually,' said Mboko, who shook her wrist in visible discomfort often Thursday. 'It feels unbelievable right now. I mean, words cannot really describe how today went. 'There's some moments where it was aggravating me a lot, but I feel like it was the final. I just kept saying to myself, 'You have one more to go.'' With her wrist wrapped in a bandage, Mboko piled up a whopping 13 double faults, and the speed of her first serves dipped as low as 120 kilometres per hour instead of the usual 180 late in the second set. But it didn't matter. The Toronto phenom, who also grew up in Burlington, Ont., will now climb to 25th in the women's singles world rankings, a stunning rise after she began the year outside the top 300 and started the tournament ranked 85th. Mboko improved to 53-9 in all competitions this year, including 27-8 against higher-ranked players. She also took home US$752,275 for winning the tournament after earning just $458,001 in her career before the event. In a heroic final game, Mboko battled from 40-15 down against Osaka's serve to win the match, kicking it off with a remarkable rush to the net after the Japanese star just barely touched the ball over. Mboko retrieved the ball a split-second before it bounced a second time, hitting it into an open backcourt and falling to the ground as the crowd erupted. 'At that point, I had the fighting mentality,' she said. 'I wanted to run and put as many balls back in the court as possible. I wanted it so badly that I think falling was a little bit worth it.' The Canadian followed with a massive forehand winner before Osaka struck a shot long to set up match point, fans rising to their feet, and Mboko made no mistake. 'When I had that winning moment and seeing so many people standing up and cheering for me, it was kind of a surreal experience,' she said. 'I would have never thought something like this would have came so suddenly. 'It just proves that your dreams are closer than they (seem).' It was Mboko's second jaw-dropping performance in as many nights. She reached the final by winning a match for the ages in the semifinal, climbing from one set down, saving a match point and battling through her wrist ailment to upset former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) in an absolute thriller. Mboko's breakout moment also included wins over 2020 Australian Open champ Sofia Kenin and world No. 2 Coco Gauff, ousting the tournament's top seed in a 62-minute fourth-round demolition. She became the first Canadian player to defeat three former women's singles Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era on Wednesday — and extended it to four on Thursday. Osaka, meanwhile, was seeking her eighth title and first since the 2021 Australian Open. She put on a clinic in the first set, holding Mboko without a breakpoint chance. That changed drastically in the second and third, where serving hardly seemed to be an advantage in an error-filled two sets. Mboko broke Osaka eight times on nine opportunities, and in total there were 14 service breaks in 25 games. Before Osaka could even put the opening serve of the match in play, fans disrupted Mboko's opponent with 'Go Vicky!' chants. When the Japanese star double-faulted on the second point, the crowd let out a loud, extended 'Yeah!' The crowd was so rowdy, the umpire repeatedly asked fans to 'please be quiet during the points.' Osaka stayed composed early despite the hostile environment, but later showed frustration as the match unravelled. At 1-1 in the third set, she struck a ball into the crowd after faulting on her first serve. When the crowd applauded the runner-up with some yelling mixed in following the match, Osaka said, 'Thanks, I guess,' and did not congratulate Mboko on her victory. 'I don't really wanna take up too much time,' she told the crowd. 'I'll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers and volunteers, and I hope you guys had a good night.' Osaka later declined to speak with reporters in a post-match news conference, but said she 'completely forgot to congratulate' Mboko in a transcript provided by the WTA. It was a dream matchup on multiple fronts. In one corner, Mboko, a teenager announcing herself as Canada's next tennis star. In the other, the 27-year-old Osaka, a former world No. 1 having a resurgence after stepping away for 15 months for the birth of her daughter in July 2023. Both players were unseeded — the third time ever in a WTA 1000 final — and Mboko was only the third wild card to make the tournament final. Mboko arrived in Montreal with her star rising in the tennis world. A promising junior player who dealt with a nagging knee injury the past two years, she began the season on a 22-match unbeaten streak in the lower-tier ITF Tour before rising through qualifying to the French Open third round and making more noise at Wimbledon. Her breakthrough in Montreal put her on the map in her home country. Over in Toronto, the Sobeys Stadium crowd broke out into cheers when Mboko's win was announced during the men's singles final between Ben Shelton and Karen Khachanov, confusing both players. 'She's done it! Incredible performance by our Canadian champion, Victoria Mboko!' Prime Minister Mark Carney posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Tournament director Valérie Tétreault said before the final that 'It's been all about Vicky Mboko.' 'Montreal, Quebec, and even across the country, right now everybody is following what's happening at this tournament and is inspired by this young woman, only 18 years of age, who keeps surprising us,' she said. 'She has a bright future ahead of her.' Tennis Canada announced a third sellout with Mboko playing and a total of 287,329 spectators for this year's revamped 12-day, 96-player National Bank Open. Next up, Mboko has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open and will now be seeded at the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the season in late August. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2025.
