GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Lindsey Vonn got a big confidence boost by sweeping the final two races before the World Championship.
The Ski Club Vail product completed a successful weekend on Sunday, mastering a demanding course for her first super-G win in two years after winning the slalom on Friday. Her focus now turns to the worlds that start Tuesday in Val d’Isère, France, with a super-G.
“It really boosts my self-confidence. I feel like in pretty much all events I am well-prepared and my confidence is high,” Vonn said. “I’m going to try and just be as physically prepared and mentally prepared for each race as I possibly can. It’s going to be a really tough couple of weeks.”
The defending World Cup overall champ increased her lead in the points race by winning the last two races.
“These two wins here meant a lot to me,” she said. “But I don’t consider myself a great favorite for the super-G in Val d’Isère. The downhill and the super-combi are my goals.”
Vonn has never won a gold medal at the championships. With her fifth win of the season Sunday, Vonn tied Tamara McKinney’s U.S. women’s record of 18 career victories.
“I feel very honored to be on the same level with Tamara,” Vonn said.
Vonn tamed the demanding 1.35-mile Kandahar course in 1 minute, 22.16 seconds, beating Anja Paerson of Sweden by 0.39 seconds. Another Swede, Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, who won the previous super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, was 0.72 back in third place.
Italians 1-2 in slalom.
Manfred Moelgg and Giorgio Rocca gave Italy a 1-2 finish in a men’s World Cup slalom in Garmisch.
Bode Miller of the U.S., the defending World Cup overall champion, placed sixth in his second-best slalom finish of the season since being runner-up in the first race.
American Ted Ligety finished 16th.
