Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – American ski racer Lindsey Vonn fought gusting winds to finish second on the Olympia della Tofane downhill in Cortina on Saturday. Vonn’s teammates Stacey Cook was sixth and Julia Mancuso ninth as Italian Deniella Marighetti captured the first victory of her career.

“I’m really happy with today’s race. It was tough conditions out there,” said Vonn, of Vail, Colo. “It was really windy and we had to ski well and also have a little bit of luck. It could have gone either way. It could have been a lot worse, so second place is a solid result.

“The problem at the start was that the wind was swirling and I couldn’t even see the first gate, so I was kind of laughing to myself,” Vonn continued. “There’s not much you can do when it’s so windy, so you just have to try to ski your best.”

It was the ninth podium finish in Cortina for Vonn, and her sixth podium this season. Following Saturday’s race Vonn was leading the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup overall standings by 244 points over Austrian Marlies Schild and the downhill standings by 127 over Elizabeth Goergl of Austria.

“It’s always tough, whether you’re leading overall or you’re trailing and you’re trying to catch up,” said Vonn, referencing her status for much of last winter when she was her chasing former friend, German racer Maria Hoefl-Riesch, for the overall lead. Hoefl-Riesch finished in third on Saturday, 19 hundredths behind Vonn. “For some reason, the overall is always on my mind. For me, the main focus is just to ski my best every day and try not to think about the points.”

Other American results included Laurenne Ross in 18th, Leanee Smith in 30th and Alice McKennis in 42nd. Mancuso is now sixth in the World Cup downhill standings and Cook 10th.

“It (the wind) was definitely was a factor, and I’m not really sure what side of it I was on,” said Cook after Saturday’s race. “I know that I definitely had some wind over the first jump, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull out of it. If it was any bigger, I think it would have taken me. But I made it through that, and I just tried to think of tucking and skiing well.”

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – Jan. 14, 2012
Women’s Downhill