Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – American ski racer Lindsey Vonn extended her winning streak in Cortina on Friday, topping the field in a World Cup women’s super G.nVonn finished more than four tenths ahead of Friday’s second place racer, Sweden’s Anja Paerson, on Cortina’s Tofane course. Anna Fenninger of Austria completed Friday’s super G podium in third. The race replaced the speed race in St. Moritz, Switzerland, canceled last December.

Friday’s win was the third straight victory in the Olympic village for Vonn, who resides in Vail, Colo. Olympic champion Julia Mancuso, of Olympic Valley, Calif., just missed the podium in fourth, while Conway, N.H.’s Leanne Smith finished eighth. Vonn gained 71 points on Germany’s Maria Riesch in the overall standings as well as marked her ninth podium finish in Cortina.

A total of five American women finished in the top 30 to earn World Cup points. Laurenne Ross, of Klamath Falls, Ore., crossed the finish line in 19th and Stacey Cook, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., came in 21st. Chelsea Marshall, of Pittsfield, Vt., finished outside the points in 39th.

“It was a very fast set of the super G,” explained Alex Hoedlmoser, U.S. Ski Team Women’s Head Coach. “The girls we ready for it. We laid it out that it had to be full attack and that’s what they did. It was really cool to see how the charged.”

“It was a really fun course set,” added Vonn. “It was a little bit sunnier today. You could actually see the snow. It was pretty windy, but I think everyone just had to do the best they could with the conditions that they got. In the last few races, I was making quite a few mistakes or at least one big mistake and today my goal was just to try to have a clean run and I think I did that. I was really happy with my result.”

Vonn continues her hunt for the overall lead, currently maintained by Riesch by 125 points over Vonn, while Vonn holds the lead in the speed disciplines of downhill, super G and combined.

“At this point every downhill and super G race are really important for the overall World Cup,” emphasized Vonn. “My goal is to try to ski the best I can in every speed race and just try to use every opportunity. The journalist on the World Cup keep asking me do I feel the pressure – honestly I feel a little pressure because I know I have to ski well in every speed race in order to catch up to Maria. But at the same time if I ski nervous, I’m never going to win anyways. I’m just out there skiing the best I can, trying to attack the course. Usually when I focus on skiing the results follow so that’s what I am going to try to keep doing.”

Smith, too, was pleased with her top-10 result on Friday.

“It’s been a long time where I thought I could be able to do this,” she said. “I had a good inspection and a good feeling about today. It was course that was set to my abilities so I just tried to lay it down and put it all on the line and I think I did that. I’m pretty excited about how I ended up.”

Whistler, British Columbia’s Britt Janyk was the top Canadian after finishing 22nd on Friday.

“I’m not satisfied with my race today. You’re never aiming for a 22nd place and I was not as fast as I wanted to be,” said a visibly disappointed Janyk. “Generally I think that I skied well today and I went out there and I raced it so I have to be happy about that. My time is a little farther out than what I would have hoped for.

“You only get one inspection before you race the super G so you need to trust your inspection and let go of the skis and ski as hard as you can. I just need to put the placing aside and focus on the things that went well today.”

Two other Canadians crossed the starting gate in today’s super G. Saint-Sauveur, Quebec-based athlete Marie-Pierre Préfontaine finished in 48th place and her teammate, Georgia Simmerling from West Vancouver, British Columbia, was 49th.

“We obviously expected more on the results side of things, but it wasn’t a bad day,” said Canadian Alpine Ski Team womens’ head coach, Hugues Anzermoz. “Britt had a really good run and she was aiming for a top-15 but it didn’t work out. The times are really close and she is not far from what she had set her sights on.

“Cortina is one of the bigger races on the ladies’ circuit. It’s not necessarily the most difficult one but there are definitely some spots on the track that are pretty impressive,” added Anzermoz.

The World Cup women are now gearing up for the famous technical and fast downhill event Saturday in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – Jan. 21, 2011
Super G

1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:11.66
2. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 1:12.09
3. Anna Fenninger, Austria, 1:12.13