CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland - Lindsey Vonn doesn't need to prove to anyone why she is an Olympic champion. But in case anyone wanted a touch more evidence, the 25-year-old earned the 32nd victory of her World Cup career and clinched her third straight downhill title in Crans Montana, Switzerland on Saturday ... but it didn't come without suspense. It turned out there was a lot of unexpected pressure and surprising speed from the back of the field.

"It was a tough race out there today. There was a lot of changing weather conditions," said Vonn, who breaks the American Cup record for a single season with her 10th Cup win. "Sometimes there would be a headwind, sometimes a tailwind. It was snowing really hard and there was a lot of new snow n the track. It was changing a lot from racer to racer."

Amid thick flakes of falling snow and flat light, it was young Alice McKennis who put down an early lead, tying starter No. 1 Aurelie Revillet of France. The fourth racer on course, 20-year-old McKennis fired down in 1 minute, 36.38 seconds and held her lead until bumped by Switzerland's Nadja Kamer four racers later.

For a while, nobody could touch the Swiss leader, though Italy's Daniela Merighetti and Emily Brydon came close. Several racers crossed the finish line with wet snow caked onto their goggles, but when it was Vonn's turn, wearing bib No. 16, she built speed from the first interval to the bottom, crossing the finish line nearly a full second ahead of then-leader Kamer in 1:35.26.

Several of the Cup's other top contenders were next, but none could touch Vonn. Anja Paerson's goggles were so splattered with snow after the course's first jump, she skidded to a halt off-course and took them off of her helmet. Maria Riesch was next and managed to keep her goggles clear. She put down a clean run and finished 0.64 seconds behind Vonn. It looked as though the two friends were going to be reunited, side-by-side on the podium for the first time in quite a few weeks.

But no.

On what appeared to be an increasingly fast course, the race was far from over. Wearing bib No. 24, Austria's Regina Mader put down one of the fastest runs in her career to finish 0.93 seconds back, but then racer No. 30, Lucia Recchia of Italy, led the entire way down until scrubbing a bit of speed on the final split. She nearly crashed off the finish jump, landing on the backs of her skis, but recovered and crossed the line just 0.67 behind Vonn, appearing to take her first World Cup podium since 2005. But wait. Then came Italian Johanna Schnarf in bib No. 32. She whipped down leading at every split and crossed the finish line the thinnest possible margin behind Vonn ... 0.01 seconds.

But the race was still not over yet. On a course that clearly was not deteriorating too much but apparently doing quite the opposite, Switzerland's Marianne Abdherhalden, who had only so much as finished just a handful of Cup races in her career and who had never finished higher than 21st (in 2008 in the super combined in Crans Montana) turned everyone's head again when, wearing bib No. 37, she rocketed to the last step of the podium, 0.38 behind Vonn. Even farther down the line in bib 42, Slovenia's Marusa Ferk came dangerously close, finishing 0.39 back and Olympic giant slalom champion Viktoria Rebensburg, who is not a regular on the Cup downhill circuit, came in fifth, 0.61 seconds back.

The Americans, all besides Laurenne Ross of whom were among the top 30 starters, were thus pushed down on the results board. McKennis ended up 12th and Chelsea Marshall, who appeared to be in the top 15, getting a thumbs up from Vonn when she crossed the finish line, ended up 20th. Wearing bib No. 40, Laurenne Ross, fresh off her slaying of the NorAm circuit (three wins and two podiums in Aspen), gunned to 21st for her career best World Cup finish. Leanne Smith, who appeared to put down a very fast run in bib No. 7, ended up 29th and Stacey Cook got bumped to 31st.

When it was all said and done, Vonn stood shaking out her feet and hands to stay warm in the finish area, standing next to two unfamiliar, fresh faces on the podium, Schnarf, just 0.01 back and Abderhalden, 0.38 seconds back. Vonn now has secured the super G, downhill and, unofficially (it will be decided next week at Cup finals in Garmisch), the super combined globes.

"To win three titles so far this year is really cool. I haven't won the super combined title before, so that was really special," Vonn said. "I think the U.S. girls did a great job today. Everyone skied really well. Alice had a great result, as did the rest of the girls, and I'm very proud of the whole team."

Olympic downhill and super-combined silver medalist Julia Mancuso opted to sit out of the downhill in Crans Montana, but will race in Sunday's super G.

by Shauna Farnell

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women's Downhill, Crans Montana, Switzerland, March 6, 2010
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
2 Schnarf, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
3 Abderhalden, Head/Nordica/Head
4 Ferk, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
5 Rebensburg, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
6 Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
7 Recchia, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
8 Mader, Voelkl/Tecnica/Marker
9 Kamer, Voelkl/Tecnica/Marker
10 Merighetti, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Women's downhill, Crans-Montana, Switzerland, March 6, 2010. … It is the 28th race of the women's 33 race 2010 World Cup scheduled. … the seventh of eight scheduled downhills. … It is the second of three scheduled at Crans-Montana, but the first held with the March 5 combined having been canceled. … It is the 30th World Cup held at Crans-Montana, the ninth downhill.

It is the 32nd career World Cup win for Lindsey Vonn, matching the U.S. record held by Bode Miller. … It is her U.S. record 18th DH win, cinching her U.S. record third straight World Cup DH title. … It is her 11th win of the season including the Olympic gold medal and she has won seven of the eight downhills contested, including the Olympics. … She has won 52percent of her completed races this season. …It is the 211th U.S. World Cup win and the second straight DH at Crans-Montana Vonn has won, the last in 2008.

It is a career best result for Johanna Schnarf, her previous best a sixth in combined at Tarvisio a year ago. … It is her fifth World Cup top 10 finish. … She started 32nd.

It is a career best result for Marianne Abderhalden, her previous best a 21st in combined, also at Crans-Montana in 2008. … She started 35th.

Emily Brydon matched her 39th best career World Cup mark. … and her sixth best of the season. … It was her fourth best of the season in DH. … and her best career result at Crans-Montana. … It is the third best career Cup placing for Alice McKennis, all of them coming this season. … She scored in six of the seven Cup DH's in her rookie season. … It is the fifth best career placing for Chelsea Marshall. … Her third best of the season. … It is a career best Cup finish for Laurenne Ross, and just her second scoring result ever, the first coming Jan. 30th at St Moritz. … It is the 14th Cup scoring result for Leanne Smith. … Half of those have come this season.

With one race remaining Vonn leads the downhill standings 645-456 over Maria Riesch and cannot be overtaken. … That confirms her second title of the season as she won the super G crown earlier. … She also leads the combined standings with the final event having been canceled, but it is possible a "paper" combined could be added to the finals at Garmisch. … With five races (and a possible combined) remaining Vonn leads the overall standings 1411-1214 over Maria Riesch. … Anja Paerson is third at 886.

Official results:
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
1 16 537544 VONN Lindsey 1984 USA 1:35.26 0.00
2 32 296427 SCHNARF Johanna 1984 ITA 1:35.27 0.14
3 35 515782 ABDERHALDEN Marianne 1986 SUI 1:35.64 5.27
4 42 565320 FERK Marusa 1988 SLO 1:35.65 5.40
5 37 205218 REBENSBURG Viktoria 1989 GER 1:35.87 8.45
6 22 206001 RIESCH Maria 1984 GER 1:35.90 8.87
7 30 295533 RECCHIA Lucia 1980 ITA 1:35.93 9.28
8 24 55766 MADER Regina 1985 AUT 1:36.19 12.89
9 8 515806 KAMER Nadja 1986 SUI 1:36.24 13.58
10 15 296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela 1981 ITA 1:36.31 14.55
11 19 105997 BRYDON Emily 1980 CAN 1:36.35 15.10
12 4 538685 MCKENNIS Alice 1989 USA 1:36.38 15.52
12 1 196573 REVILLET Aurelie 1986 FRA 1:36.38 15.52
14 41 505886 KLING Kajsa 1988 SWE 1:36.64 19.12
15 38 515692 GRAND Rabea 1984 SUI 1:36.65 19.26
15 11 196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie 1985 FRA 1:36.65 19.26
17 43 425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth 1991 NOR 1:36.67 19.54
18 18 195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid 1978 FRA 1:36.73 20.37
19 20 55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea 1985 AUT 1:36.74 20.51
20 29 538038 MARSHALL Chelsea 1986 USA 1:36.76 20.79
21 40 538573 ROSS Laurenne 1988 USA 1:36.78 21.06
22 14 515170 STYGER Nadia 1978 SUI 1:36.80 21.34
23 39 55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole 1989 AUT 1:36.88 22.45
24 25 505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica 1984 SWE 1:36.91 22.86
25 31 55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT 1:37.04 24.67
26 23 55947 FENNINGER Anna 1989 AUT 1:37.06 24.94
27 28 206175 STECHERT Gina 1987 GER 1:37.23 27.30
27 26 296472 FANCHINI Elena 1985 ITA 1:37.23 27.30
29 7 538305 SMITH Leanne 1987 USA 1:37.31 28.41
30 5 495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina 1981 SPA 1:37.42 29.93
31 12 537582 COOK Stacey 1984 USA 1:37.44 30.21
32 2 225206 ALCOTT Chemmy 1982 GBR 1:37.49 30.90
33 34 196968 BAILET Margot 1990 FRA 1:37.52 31.32
34 3 515849 DETTLING Andrea 1987 SUI 1:37.55 31.73
35 9 106022 JANYK Britt 1980 CAN 1:37.56 31.87
36 13 55576 GOERGL Elisabeth 1981 AUT 1:37.59 32.29
37 36 55806 ALTACHER Margret 1986 AUT 1:37.71 33.95
38 10 515747 GISIN Dominique 1985 SUI 1:37.79 35.06
39 33 196412 WEYRICH Clothilde 1985 FRA 1:37.92 36.86
40 6 296431 STUFFER Verena 1984 ITA 1:38.22 41.02
41 17 515766 SUTER Fabienne 1985 SUI 1:38.27 41.71
42 47 55898 BREM Eva-Maria 1988 AUT 1:38.39 43.37
43 45 55818 KOEHLE Stefanie 1986 AUT 1:38.87 50.02
44 44 106666 RUBENS Shona 1986 CAN 1:39.30 55.98
45 46 425887 LOESETH Mona 1991 NOR 1:39.94 64.85
46 48 155431 MARKOVA Dana 1985 CZE 1:40.51 72.75
Did not start 1st run
27 565243 MAZE Tina 1983 SLO
Did not finish 1st run
21 505483 PAERSON Anja 1981 SWE

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