Hxen.com's tips：Every day persisted can learn English well!-->■Learn English Everyday■
Vonn trailed early starter and local favorite Marie Marchand-Arvier midway down the Rhone-Alpes course but made up time on the Frenchwoman in the technical lower section.
 |
Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. shows her gold medal during the medal ceremony after winning the women's Super G event at the Alpine Skiing World Championships 2009 in the French resort of Val d'Isere February 3, 2009 |
"It's incredible to get my first gold medal. It's what I've worked for all my life," Vonn said. "It's my dream come true."
Vonn finished in 1 minute, 20.73 seconds. Marchand-Arvier was second, 0.34 seconds behind, and Andrea Fischbacher of Austria was third, 0.40 back.
Vonn trailed Marchand-Arvier by 0.36 midway down.
"It's a shame," Marchand-Arvier said. "Lindsey was very good today and I made a little mistake but I'll take it."
Two-time defending champion Anja Paerson missed a gate near the end of her run, although the Swede was already trailing the leaders by a large margin.
"(Vonn) was worthy to win today," Paerson said. "She is so perfect on the snow and very calm when she's skiing. She's always on a good line. I was not surprised she would win today."
Austrian rookie Anna Fenninger finished fourth and Tina Maze of Slovenia was fifth.
 |
Lindsey Vonn of the US is carried by her coaches during the women's Super G race at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in the French resort of Val d'Isere February 3, 2009 |
She has now won three races in five days, having taken a World Cup slalom and super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, over the weekend - tying Tamara McKinney's American women's record of 18 career victories.
Last season, Vonn became the first American woman to win the overall World Cup title in 25 years - since McKinney in 1983 - and she also leads the overall standings this season.
The race marked the first official competition on the new Rhone-Alpes course, which starts above the tree line with skiers approaching 100 kilometers per hour, then delves down into a forest with a series of curves before a steep descent into the finish. Several skiers fell or missed gates on the highly technical track.
The men's super-G is scheduled today on the Bellevarde course. The two tracks face each other and funnel into the same finish area.
Paerson attributed her struggles to the course and light.
 |
Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. skis on her way to clocking the fastest time in the women's Super G race at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in the French resort of Val d'Isere February 3, 2009 |
"You want a difficult course for a championship and it was one of the most difficult we have ever had. We are in the shadow for the whole time and the men are in the sunshine. I hope the visibility is better."
 |
Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. skis on her way to clocking the fastest time in the women's Super G race at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in the French resort of Val d'Isere February 3, 2009 |
"I just fell down. I just went a little bit straight," Mancuso said. "My game plan today was all or nothing. It's pretty difficult the first couple of gates and I should have given myself a little more room."
Mancuso was impressed with Vonn's run.
"I think she skied a little conservative and it was pretty surprising that she was ahead at the end," Mancuso said. "She made up a lot of time on the bottom."