Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Vonn’s slalom silver keeps her in World Cup lead

Alpine racing in Switzerland, Spain


Photo by Getty Images/Agence Zoom. Ted Ligety carves through a choppy course in Val d'Isere.

Reigning World Cup overall women's queen Lindsey Vonn, 24, keeps wowing the circuit in slalom.

And her slalom successes have kept the 5-10, 160-pounder from Minnesota in the 2008-09 Cup lead.

Vonn scored only 46 slalom points for 32nd place in the discipline last season en route to the World Cup title with a 1,403-point total, 220 ahead of Austria's Nicole Hosp.

But Vonn won the 2008 national slalom and combined titles, and is off to a blazing start in slalom this season as she bids to become America's first-ever two-time World Cup overall women's champion.

In fact, Vonn currently leads the slalom standings 230-200 over Maria Riesch of Germany after three events. She won the first slalom in Finland Nov. 15, and since has placed fourth and second in the next two.

Overall, Vonn (438 points) is 38 ahead of Finland's Tanja Poutiainen with Riesch in third place with 328.

Sunday at La Molina, Spain, Vonn was runner-up to Riesch in the slalom that capped a technical weekend in the Spanish resort. Having been disqualified in Saturday's giant slalom won by Poutiainen made it all the more satisfying for Vonn.

"For a second I thought Lindsey may get the win, but Maria's first run was too good," women's alpine head coach Jim Tracy said. "Maria pretty much schooled everyone on the first run. But Lindsey is super confident and it definitely showed today."

Vonn was on a mission after Saturday's giant slalom where she missed a gate, according to Tracy.

"Today's conditions were challenging with about a foot of new snow over the ice. But, Lindsey rose to the occasion," Tracy said. "She didn't like what happened yesterday and today she put her game face on and executed really well."

Meanwhile, Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, 26, from Kjeller, kept the World Cup men's lead 395-293 over Benjamin Raich of Austria after two races at Val d'Isere, France. Top American Bode Miller, 31, is way down the list at 12th place with 146 points. He's the reigning Cup champ.

Raich won Friday's super combined with Park City's Ted Ligety 27th. In Saturday's giant slalom, 2007 world downhill and giant slalom gold medalist Svindal placed fourth in the giant slalom won by Carlo Janka of Switzerland. Ligety was 12th and Miller 24th. Svindal was 2007 overall World Cup king.

Sunday's slalom finale at Val d'Isere was canceled by high winds and blowing snow.

Next up: The men and women return to Europe where World Cup giant slalom races will be staged at Val d'Isere, France for the men Dec. 13-14 and La Molina, Spain for the women this coming weekend.




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