Vonn Picks Up Two More Wins!
Lindsey Vonn, All smiles after this weekend! (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)
Just before Christmas, Lindsey Vonn had a bad run in Val d’Isere France that shook her up a bit. Vonn would uncharacteristically finish 13th in the Giant Slalom the next day. A week later she wouldn’t finish her first run in a Giant Slalom in Lienz, Austria. Injury concerns were beginning to be raised. With Michaela Shiffrin (MCL) and Vonn both slowed, Lara Gut was stepping up to take the podium from the Americans. Gut won the Giant Slalom in Lienz and took over the overall point lead in the World Cup.
Lindsey Vonn is the winningest skier in World Cup history though, and if healthy, she will be the favorite in every speed race until she retires. Vonn proved to be back this weekend in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee and Flachau Austria dominating the Downhill and the Super G.
On Saturday Vonn won the Downhill, her best race, by 1 second over Larisa Yurkiw of Canada. Vonn had the best time in both runs, winning the first run by .91 seconds and the second run by .09. It is very difficult to make up .91 seconds after 1 run, especially when you’re trailing the best Downhill skier of all time. Gut, who had been on a tear of late, didn’t finish the first run. Stacey Cook had a solid showing for the Americans finishing 8th.
Saturday – Downhill
1st – Lindsey Vonn (USA)
2nd – Larisa Yurkiw (CAN) +1.00
3rd – Cornelia Huetter (AUT) +1.66
Sunday was a second opportunity for Vonn to gain another World Cup win. Lindsey had won 25 World Cup Super-G events in the past, including the last, in Lake Louise one month ago. The Super G is only 1 run and that’s all Vonn would need, beating Gut by .70 seconds and Cornelia Huetter, who picked up her second bronze in two days. With the two wins this weekend, Vonn closed to within 38 points of Gut for the World Cup overall lead. Huetter sits in second, behind Vonn, in both the Downhill and Super G points this season.
Sunday – Super-G
1st – Lindsey Vonn (USA)
2nd – Lara Gut (SUI) +.70
3rd – Cornelia Huetter (AUT) +1.14
With Michaela Shiffrin injured for 4 to 12 weeks, the Slalom ranks have been wide open. Other than Shiffrin, the leader board in Slalom is usually dominated by the same names: Hansdotter, Strachova, and Velez Zuzulova. Tuesday saw two of those three standing on the podium. Although Hansdotter has a good lead in the standings, Zuzulova took home the win Tuesday. Strachova wasn’t far behind in the bronze position. The top US skier was Resi Stiegler in 17th place.
Tuesday – Slalom
1st – Veronika Velez Zuzulova (SVK)
2nd – Wendy Holdener (SUI) +.54
3rd – Sarka Strachova (CZE) +.84
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