Vonn seals 19th win with super-G victory

By Manuele Lang

TARVISIO, Italy (Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn became the most successful American skier in the women''s World Cup on Sunday when victory in a super-G gave her a 19th race win.

She overtook Tamara McKinney''s previous record of 18 wins, when, after starting cautiously, she finished at full speed to claim victory in one minute 21.72 seconds in the Italian resort of Tarvisio.

Swiss specialist Fabienne Suter, winner of two super-Gs last season in Bormio and Sestriere, again seemed inspired by Italy as she finished second, 0.51 seconds adrift.

Slovenia''s Tina Maze, the world giant slalom silver-medalist, was 0.67 behind in third.

"This is a special victory because this is the 19th and I''ve been thinking about it since I equaled Tamara''s record in Garmisch," Vonn, who won gold in the super-G at the world championships, told reporters.

"It was one of my main goals this weekend and it took the whole weekend to get it," added the American, who finished second in the two previous races of the weekend in Tarvisio.

Her runner-up spots in Friday''s super-combined and Saturday''s downhill had left the World Cup leader frustrated before she claimed her sixth victory of the season.

CHAMPAGNE INJURY

She did not seem too hampered by the thumb injury which she sustained when opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate her downhill gold medal at the world championships in Val d''Isere, France two weeks ago.

"Today I stuck to my game plan. I pulled myself together and managed to be cautious when I had to and aggressive when I could," she said.

The jinx continued for Anja Paerson after a terrible world championships in which she failed to win a medal.

The Swede had looked set for a podium place with the best intermediate times by far when she suddenly lost her line close to the bottom and failed to finish.

She has now lost vital ground on Vonn and Germany''s Maria Riesch in the World Cup overall standings, the American leading on 1,374 points ahead of the German on 1,075.

"It was important for me to finish the weekend on a high note. I needed to make a gap as quickly as possible. The other girls ski so well. Look at Anja, she was so far ahead when she went out," said Vonn.

"I don''t want to get to the World Cup finals in Are with the pressure of not knowing whether I can win or not."  Continued...