The ladies’ Audi FIS Alpine World Cup returned to the Olympic venue of Sestriere (ITA) this weekend. On Saturday, Lindsey Vonn took her fifth season win as she triumphed in the downhill race. She won by more than a half second over Canadian Kelly VanderBeek. It is her ninth career downhill win and she has now won four of the seven downhills this season. Nadia Fanchini of Italy took third, the first podium for the Italian ladies’ team in the speed events this season, and coming after few weeks she returned to the tour following some health problems.  In the downhill FIS World Cup standings, Vonn leads Renate Goetschl (AUT), 575-323. She could wrap up the downhill World Cup honors in the next race in Vancouver (CAN) later this month.   

In Sunday’s super-G, two first-time winners topped the podium as Andrea Fischbacher of Austria and Fabienne Suter of Switzerland tallied identical finish times. Fischbacher had previously been second twice while Suter had not been better than seventh before.With a single super-G left on the calendar, Maria Riesch (GER) solidified her place at the top of the standings with a third place finish and a total of 334 points. 

After Lindsey Vonn had claimed the overall points lead from Nicole Hosp (AUT) on Saturday, after the super-G on Sunday the two are tied at the top of the overall standings since Nicole Hosp finished two ranks ahead of Lindsey Vonn with 983 points each. Riesch holds third with 891 points.

The ladies will next compete for the SnowQueen Trophy in Zagreb (CRO) on Friday.

FIS news
10.02.2008