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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 6:28 a.m., Saturday, March 8, 2008

Skiing: Vonn breaks Street's U.S. downhill win mark

By GRAHAM DUNBAR
Associated Press writer

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland —Lindsey Vonn won her 10th career World Cup downhill today to break the U.S. record set by Picabo Street and Daron Rahlves.

Vonn won the downhill in 1 minute, 23.57 seconds on the 1.4-mile Crans-Montana course, passing her mentor Street.

"Every time you win it is special. Today, I'm really honored," said the 23-year-old Vonn, who already won the downhill crown this season. "Picabo has been really behind me my whole career. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to talk to her. If not now, then after the finals."

Renate Goetschl of Austria was second in 1:24.18 and Nadia Fanchini of Italy was third in 1:24.21. Julia Mancuso of the United States was fourth, missing a top-three finish by 0.03 seconds.

Vonn picked up her fifth downhill win of the season and extended her overall World Cup lead. With 1,203 points, she leads Nicole Hosp of Austria by 150 points. Hosp finished 27th on Saturday.

Vonn skied without errors on a day when many of her rivals had trouble with a jump two-thirds down the slope, which was shortened because of poor visibility near the top.

"It was good run, solid. I'm really, really excited to have won again," Vonn said. "It was just a little bit bumpy. I was just trying to stay on line. On the bottom section, I missed the gate in training yesterday, so we really focused on that in the inspection."

Hosp is expected to make up ground in the super-combined race on Sunday. It features a downhill and a slalom — Vonn's least-favorite discipline.

With Bode Miller leading the overall standings, it could be the first time since 1983 that Americans capture the men's and women's overall titles.

"I still have lot of fighting to do and tomorrow's going to be a challenge. The fat lady hasn't sung yet, that's for sure" she said.

Mancuso set aside her troubles in training and almost made it an American 1-2 finish.

"I was a little nervous after yesterday," she said. "I did make a mistake and that cost me second place."