Lindsey Vonn didn’t have to race Friday to clinch her unprecedented third straight World Cup overall title, but she did anyway — and won.
Waiting at the start during the final super-G of the season in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Vonn got word that Germany’s Maria Riesch was in third place with Vonn and two racers remaining. Riesch had to finish second or better to have any chance of overtaking Vonn for the overall title.
Vonn could have chosen not to start — she incurred a bone bruise to her right knee in Thursday’s giant slalom, adding to her long list of aches and pains — but she went out and won her 11th World Cup race of the season.
That victory broke the American record she set last year for most World Cup victories in a season (nine). It also gave her 33 career wins, the most for an American. Vonn had been in a tie with Bode Miller.
“I was more relieved than anything else,” Vonn said of the news about Riesch. “I just said, ‘OK, the overall title is clinched, now I need to focus on trying to win this race.’ Even though I had an injury to my right knee during the GS race, it was less painful than the shin injury at the Olympics, so I said, ‘OK, you’ve done this before, you’ve dealt with pain, just go out and ski your best.’
“It was the best way to end such an amazing season.”
Vonn won an Olympic gold medal in downhill and bronze in super-G. She won World Cup discipline titles in downhill, super-G and super-combined.
Vonn also tied one of the most hallowed records in American skiing. She and Phil Mahre (1981-83) are the only Americans to win three World Cup overall titles. Miller won two (2005, 2008) and Tamara McKinney one (1983).
“It’s been such a long season, and I’ve definitely had my share of injuries this year, but to come away with four titles, it’s just overwhelming,” Vonn said. “Going into a season, you always hope you can have this kind of success, but to actually be able to achieve it is beyond what I was expecting, for sure.
“I’m just completely ecstatic, but I’m happy to be done with the year and finally get a chance to heal my body. It’s definitely hurting after this long season.”
Vonn suffered a bone bruise to her left wrist in December, a bruised right shin just before the Olympics and a broken right pinkie finger in the Olympic GS. Vonn said Thursday’s knee injury will not require surgery, just four to six weeks’ rest. She will skip today’s slalom at the World Cup finals.
“My body is pretty much completely broken,” Vonn said.
Vonn wasn’t the only source of pride for the U.S. Ski Team Friday. Ted Ligety of Park City, Utah, finished third in the men’s GS and clinched the GS season title for the second time. He also won in 2008.
Ligety was an Olympic medal hopeful in GS, super-combined and slalom, but his best finish at the Olympics was fifth in the combined. He and Mahre are the only U.S. men to win two World Cup GS titles.
“It definitely salvages the season a little bit,” Ligety said. “The Olympics were definitely a big bummer, and I surrounded the Olympics (with podium finishes). It’s a bummer that the timing didn’t go in the right side of that. But it’s pretty sweet to walk away with the season title. The Olympics is just the one race, and doesn’t always depict the best guys. To win the season title is pretty meaningful in that respect.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
