Because of her excellence in downhill, two-time U.S. Olympian Lindsey Vonn, 23, of Vail, Colo. is methodically putting up a year to remember on the 2007-08 Audi FIS Women's World Cup circuit.
Racing Saturday in Italy on the 2006 Olympic men's speed track at Sestriere, native Minnesotan Vonn posted her fifth World Cup victory of the season—four in downhill and one in combined. She won by .62 seconds on the nearly 3-kilometer Kandahar Banchetta downhill course.
"I'm in a good place now, so I can ski confidently and focus on my run," said Vonn, who posted the fastest time in Friday's training run.
Vonn's ninth career DH victory equaled her childhood idol Picabo Street of Sun Valley and Daron Rahlves as the most successful U.S. downhillers ever. It was the 12th World Cup victory of her increasingly brilliant ski racing career.
After seven DHs Vonn padded her World Cup downhill lead to 575-323 over defending champion Renate Goetschl of Austria. Last winter Goetschl (705) was a big winner, with American's Julia Mancuso (536) second in DH and Vonn (390) third.
The last U.S. skier to win a World Cup downhill crown was Picabo Street in 1996. And Vonn's best-ever World Cup downhill finish prior to this winter was second place to 2006 Olympic DH queen Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria in 2005-06. Dorfmeister had 498 to Vonn's 410.
Although the Austrians, Swiss and Germans normally dominate World Cup downhill racing, especially when the events are staged on European hills, the North American racers led by Vonn are turning that historical logic on its head this year.
Through 14 men's and women's downhills, North American racers have won nine times—seven victories achieved by Americans Bode Miller (2 wins), Marco Sullivan (1 win) and Vonn (4 victories). The Austrians and Swiss have a total of three wins, all by the men.
In contrast, in 20 downhills last winter the Europeans won 12 times and the U.S. captured seven victories.
For a brief 24 hours Saturday, Vonn rose into first place in the women's overall standings. Along with Bode Miller, it was the first time two U.S. skiers have topped the points simultaneously since Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney won the 1983 World Cup overall titles.
Sunday, however, Vonn's 16th place in the Sestriere super giant slalom put her back into a tie for the overall World Cup lead with Nicole Hosp of Austria, each with 983 points after 27 of the 39 races.
Meanwhile, World Cup overall leader Bode Miller, 30, of New Hampshire was one of 32 first-run casualties in Saturday's slalom at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germ. U.S. racer Ted Ligety had the third-fastest second run to finish seventh.
Bode maintained his World Cup overall lead after 29 races with 1067 points, 98 ahead of last year's overall runner-up and 2006 World Cup overall champion Benjamin Raich of Austria (945).
The women have slalom Friday, Feb. 15 in Zagreb, Croatia before heading to Whistler Mountain north of Vancouver, B.C., Canada for downhill and slalom Feb. 21-23 on the 2010 Winter Olympic courses.
Zagreb, which has a carnival atmosphere with 40,000 or more spectators each year, also hosts men's slalom Sunday, Feb. 17 before the men go to Whistler Mountain for super giant slalom and giant slalom Feb. 23-24.
Current men's and women's leaders and top Americans are listed:
Men's overall: 1—Bode Miller (Team America) 1067. 2—Benjamin Raich (Aust.) 969 points. 3—Didier Cuche (Switz.) 882. 6—Ted Ligety (U.S.) 612.
Men's downhill: 1—Didier Cuche 464. 2—Bode Miller 399. 3—Michael Walchhofer (Aust.) 343. 4—Marco Sullivan (U.S.) 278.
Men's slalom: 1—Jean-Baptiste Grange (Fra.) 462. 2—Manfred Moelgg (Italy) 371. 10—Ted Ligety 238.
Men's giant slalom: 1—Daniel Albrecht (Switz.) 258. 2—Benjamin Raich 248. 4—Ted Ligety 235.
Men's super giant slalom: 1—Didier Cuche (Switz.) 244. 2—Benjamin Raich 197. 10—Bode Miller 109.
Men's combined: 1—Bode Miller 410. 2—Ivica Kostelic (Cro.) 256. 7—Ted Ligety 131.
Women's overall: 1 (tie)—Lindsey Vonn (U.S.) and Nicole Hosp (Aust.) 983 points. 3—Maria Riesch (Germ.) 881. 6—Julia Mancuso 750.
Women's downhill: 1—Lindsey Vonn 575. 2—Renate Goetschl (Aust.) 323. 3—Britt Janyk (Can.) 300. 11—Julia Mancuso 172.
Women's slalom: 1—Nicole Hosp 465. 12—Resi Stiegler (U.S.) 111.
Women's giant slalom: 1—Denise Karbon (Italy) 560. 4—Julia Mancuso 253. 15—Lindsey Vonn 104.
Women's super giant slalom: 1—Maria Riesch (Germ.) 334. 2—Elisabeth Goergl (Aust.) 281. 7—Julia Mancuso 202. 9—Lindsey Vonn 198.
Women's combined: 1—Lindsey Vonn 100. 2—Maria Riesch 80. 3—Julia Mancuso 60.
Two-time Olympian Sullivan, 27, of Squaw Valley, Ca. won the first World Cup race of his nine-year U.S. Ski Team career Saturday at Chamonix, France. He used his gliding skills almost flawlessly in a tricky Kandahar downhill to win by .40 seconds over current World Cup DH leader Didier Cuche of Switzerland.
Lindsey Vonn celebrates taking over the World Cup overall points lead with her downhill victory Saturday at Sestriere, Italy.
Photo by Giuseppe Cacace-AFP/Getty Images
