Stechert claims surprise downhill crown

GERMANY'S Gina Stechert has upstaged the odds to claim a shock World Cup downhill victory in Tarvisio.

Stechert claimed the narrowest of victories - edging out double world champion Lindsey Vonn by just 0.01 seconds - for her first ever World Cup gold.

The 21-year-old clocked 1:59.94 minutes to set the early pace in Italy, and Vonn was just unable to surpass her, and had to settle for her second successive silver medal.

Sweden's Anja Paerson, fresh from capturing the overall Super-Combined crown, was third, 0.39 seconds behind Stechert whose best previous finish was fourth in the downhill at Lake Louise in December.

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RELATED: Riesch beats Vonn to Super-Combined gold in Tarvisio

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Fellow German Maria Riesch, who won Friday's super-combined, was a tenth and slipped further behind Vonn in the overall standings.