Check out our next installment of UtahSkis' Winter Olympics Digest, where we watch some stunning performances on skis and snowboards. Although the United States failed to snag a gold medal during the ski and snowboarding competitions this week, the country's athletes put on some excellent performances. Read on to learn more about the Czech snowboarder who crushed the Ladies' Super G competition on borrowed skis and to follow the performance of Lindsey Vonn in two different events. Mikaela Shiffron performs in the Ladies' Slalom Run 2 and Vonn leaves as the oldest female alpine skier to win a medal at the Olympics. Stay tuned for more updates of the UtahSkis Olympic Digest.
Men's Super G
Matthias Mayer swooped in to score the gold for Austria, ending Norway's 16-year domination. He finished on a time of 1:24.44, just 0.13 seconds ahead of the second place finisher and silver medalist, Beat Feuz of Switzerland. This is Feuz's second medal of these Olympics, following a bronze awarded in downhill the day prior. Defending champion Kjetil Jansrud of Norway made it onto the podium in third.
Ladies' Snowboard Cross
Italy's Michela Moioli won gold in the Ladies' Snowboard Cross final, keeping the United States off the podium. Julia Pereira De Sousa Mabileau finished second and took silver and Czech Republic's Eva Samkova made it on to the podium with a third-place finish. The United States' Lindsey Jacobellis is considered the best snowboard cross competitor in the world outside of the Olympics so it was a disappointing day for Jacobellis.
Ladies' Slalom Run 2
The United States also failed to make the podium in the Ladies' Slalom when Mikaela Shiffron slipped up a couple of times in her second run, finishing on a time of 1:39.03 — 0.4 seconds off the leader. Frida Hansdotter of Sweden took gold on a time of 1:38.63 and right behind her was Wendy Holdener of Switzerland for silver. Katharina Gallhuber from Austria took bronze on a time of 1:38.95.
Ladies' Super G
Ester Ledecka is a world champion snowboarder from the Czech Republic — which is what made her upset in the Ladies' Super G so amazing. She won gold on a time of 1:21.11, inching ahead of the second place finisher, Austria's Anna Veith. Ledecka is the first athlete to ever compete in both skiing and snowboarding events at the Olympics. Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein took bronze. United States' Lindsey Vonn made a costly mistake in the second half of her run, nearly wiping out and finishing in a tie for sixth.
Men's Giant Slalom Run 2
Austria's Marcel Hirscher swooped in for his second gold medal of these Olympics, besting the field on a time of 2:18.04. He finished an impressive 1.27 seconds ahead of the second place finisher and silver medalist Henrik Kristoffersen from Norway. France's Alexis Pinturault took the bronze medal, finishing on a time of 2:19.35.
Ladies' Downhill
Lindsey Vonn returned to show what she can do in the Ladies' Downhill. Although Vonn put in a good run, it was Italy's Sofia Goggia who snagged gold, finishing on a time of 1:39.22 to become Italy's first downhill champion. Norway's Ragnhild Mowinckel was close behind, cinching silver, while Vonn made the podium in third place. This will be her last Olympics — and she was happy to leave with a medal in hand. Vonn finished on a time of 1:39.69 and is the oldest female alpine skier to win a medal at the Olympics, at age 33.
Ladies' Big Air
Anna Gasser won gold for Austria after going big in her final run and besting the United States' Jamie Anderson, who finished on a score of 177.25 after attempting a cab 1080 on her last run — but not sticking it. Gasser scored a total of 185 after taking a risk and laying down a beautiful cab double cork 1080 on her last run. Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand took bronze. Jamie Anderson is the first female snowboarder to win two medals at a single Olympics.
