American Vonn wins world Super-G gold

Alpine Skiing Winter Sports Post a comment

Posted: Tuesday 3rd February 2009 | 13:56

AMERICAN Lindsey Vonn claimed her first ever World title with a storming Super-G triumph at the World Championships in Val d'Isere.

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT: Lindsey Vonn underlined her potential by winning the Super-G in Val d'Isere, not one of her favourite event (Getty Images)

Vonn, the reigning World Cup champion, has made no secret of the fact her career will be defined by success at major championships.

She has targeted five medals in the next fortnight - and got her campaign off to a flyer.

“Hopefully I can keep going with this momentum for the rest of the championships,” said Vonn, the first-ever American to win a world Super-G. 

“It’s a totally amazing feeling and I’m so happy it’s hard to express. 

“I didn’t have really high hopes before the race because the conditions were really difficult. 

“The light was getting darker and darker and the course was really getting bumpy. I just gave it everything I had and I hoped to come out on top.”

France's Marie Marchand-Arvier laid down an early marker as experienced names struggled on a icy top section - with American Julia Mancuso, giant slalom gold medallist at the 2006 Olympics, one of several to ski out.

Marchand-Avier, with only two career World Cup podiums, had looked on course for gold until Vonn bettered her time by over three tenths of a second.

But a French silver is just what organisers needed and it silenced a cynical local media, who have spent the championship build-up sniping about a lack of home medal hopes.

“I couldn’t ask for more than a medal, it’s totally magical to be on the podium for France,” said Marchand-Arvier.

“Lindsey deserved gold because she skied better and I did make errors at some key points.”

Austria's Andrea Fischbacher - nearly a second and a half slower than Vonn - took bronze on a day when many big names struggled.

Anja Paerson failed in her bid to win a third consecutive Super-G world title - and her championships may also be in doubt.

The Swede skied out in the closing sections of her run and despite grimacing in pain and clutching her leg, she insisted she would be back to target gold in the super-combined.

"I wasn’t in the race from the beginning," she admitted. "I didn’t feel comfortable and my time reflected that."

Great Britain's Chemmy Alcott continued her comeback from a broken ankle with a 20th place finish but her best hopes of a top ten finish will be next week's giant slalom.