Breezy Johnson, a former Western Washington University English major, made skiing history on Saturday, Feb. 8, with a stunning victory in the women’s downhill at the 2025 Alpine World Championships in Austria.
Her top speed of 86 mph on the Saalbach-Hinterglemm course was among the fastest ever recorded by a woman in a race.
“I was psyched because I knew that I had skied my best,” Johnson told reporters. “I’m just going to enjoy this because I’ve had a lot of times where I gave my best and I didn’t win.”
Johnson’s previous best result in 10 World Championship races was ninth in 2021 — also in the downhill. She has never won a World Cup race, reaching the podium seven times.
Johnson, 29, was the first skier to start Saturday, and none of her competitors could match her. She finished 0.15 seconds ahead of silver medalist Mirjam Puchner of Austria and 0.21 ahead of third place Ester Ledecka, a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the Czech Republic.
Johnson, who attended Western before and after the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, has struggled with injuries throughout her career.
“You have to be happy with your own skiing or your existence becomes very sad very quickly,” she said.
The Jackson Hole, Wyoming native also suffered a career setback in 2023 when getting banned for 14 months for missing sports-related drug tests.
All Olympic sports athletes are subject to unannounced testing year-round. They face a suspension when missing three tests, even if they have a legitimate excuse.
Johnson returned to World Cup racing in December 2024 after serving her suspension.
She joins American greats Lindsey Vonn (in 2009), Hilary Lindh (in 1997) and Picabo Street (in 1996) as the only U.S. women to win a prestigious downhill world title.
American Lauren Macuga, who won a bronze medal in super-G in Austria, had another outstanding race on Saturday, finishing fifth. Vonn, now 40 and also making a comeback this season, was 15th.
But the day belonged to Johnson, once one of the country’s most promising speed skiers.
She had three second-place World Cup results in the year before the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. But Johnson suffered a serious knee injury when crashing and missed the Olympics in China. The victory on Saturday puts her in the conversation for the 2026 Games in Italy.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Johnson said. “But if you keep trying, then maybe one day you’ll get it.”
Elliott Almond's outdoor column appears monthly. Email: elliottalmond4@gmail.com.
