Ski Club Vail product Lindsey Vonn made history again today, winning a gold medal in downhill at the world alpine ski championships at Val d’Isere, France, giving her a sweep of the “speed” events there.
Vonn won a super-G gold medal last Tuesday, and her victory today made her the first American woman to win two gold medals at a world championships. It also tied her with 1980’s standout Tamara McKinney for most career medals won by an American woman at world championships (four).
“I’m just so, so happy,” Vonn told reporters in the finish area. “I’m just trying to ski my best and working as hard as I can, and to get something for it like I did today means so much because that’s why I work hard. That’s why I’m out here doing my best, to have something like that. I’m so thankful.”
Vonn was disqualified from Friday’s super-combined event for inadvertently missing a gate, depriving her of an apparent silver medal, and had to wait an extra day to make amends after Sunday’s scheduled downhill was postponed a day because of weather.
But she was in command today, winning by .52 of a second — a fairly substantial margin in downhill — on an extremely steep and technical course. Lara Gut of Switzerland claimed the silver medal while Nadia Fanchini of Italy took bronze.
Vonn won the World Cup overall title last year — generally considered the most coveted title in ski racing because it reflects season-long dominance — and leads the overall standings this year. If she wins it this year, she will become the first American woman to win it twice.
Today’s achievement, she said, ranks right there with the overall.
“The overall was a huge goal for me in my life, but today also was something very special,” Vonn said. “You work so hard, and days like today and (winning) the super-G and (winning) the overall, those are all days you remember for the rest of your life. I’m just so thankful I was able to do it today.”
Because of her disqualification Friday and being the favorite in today’s race, Vonn was extremely nervous at the start house. Fortunately her husband, former U.S. Ski Team racer Thomas Vonn, was there.
“He really helped calm me down,” Vonn said. “It was like, ‘I know you want it,’ and I did, I wanted more than anything else. I give my life for this sport. He reminded me of that when I was in the start and that gave me confidence in myself. That’s what allowed me to ski the way I did today.”
Today’s title helped assuage the disappointment from Friday’s disqualification in the super-combined, a race that is comprised of a downhill run and a slalom run. Vonn had the fastest downhill time Friday and thought she earned a silver medal with her slalom effort.
“The super-combined was something that was really sad for me, just a big bummer, but it gave me more motivation,” Vonn said. “I really set my mind on this race. I did everything I could to be as prepared as possible.”
The postponement of the downhill from Sunday to today was another frustration but may have worked to her benefit.
“It was tough with two days off,” Vonn said, “but it also gave me a chance to really rest up for this race.”
By almost any objective measurement, Vonn is in the process of becoming the most accomplished female ski racer the U.S. has produced, and at age 24 figures to have many more years to add more accomplishments. She lacks only Olympic medals to fill the sole void in her record, something she can rectify a year from now at the Vancouver Winter Games.
Bode Miller is the only other American to win two gold medals at a world championships, winning the combined and giant slalom in 2003, then super-G and downhill in 2005.
Technically speaking, Vonn is the second U.S. woman to win two world championships gold medals at the same event. Andrea Mead Lawrence won two gold medals at the 1952 Oslo Olympics at a time when the International Ski Federation awarded dual world championships medals for Olympic races. That practice ended after the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, when the FIS moved its world championships to odd-numbered years.
U.S. ski racers with 3 or more medals won (career) at world championships:
5 medals — Bode Miller four gold, one silver
4 medals — Lindsey Vonn, two gold, two silver
4 medals — Tamara McKinney one gold, three bronze
3 medals — Christin Cooper two silver, one bronze
3 medals — Julia Mancuso one silver, two bronze
3 medals — Daron Rahlves one of each
3 medals — Picabo Street one of each
3 medals — Cindy Nelson two silver, one bronze (including 1972 Olympic bronze*)
3 medals — Billy Kidd one of each (including 1964 Olympic silver*)
* Through 1980, the International Ski Federation awarded world championships medals at the Olympics.
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
