ST MORITZ, Switzerland (Reuters) – Lindsey Vonn’s first run at the World Championships lasted just a few seconds on Tuesday when the American slid out of the Super-G in St Moritz.
Starting 11th, Vonn was as good as her word, having said at the weekend she was going to go all out – win or bust. Despite a perfect start, it was the latter as she slid out mid-course, but managed to avoid a crash. Defending Super G champion, Anna Veith, suffered a worse fate, crashing out of the race.
Vonn, though, picked herself up and skied to the finish zone where the 32-year-old was cheered loudly.
“I lost my pole early on and tried to get it back,” she said. “I was distracted for a second and thought I lost a lot of time. I went too straight and had no chance of making the next gate.” “It was a tactical error but it tried to give everything. I am not disappointed. I tried as hard I could. I don’t know why I am losing the pole. I will duck-tape it to my hand,” Vonn said. The four-times overall World Cup champion and 2010 Olympic downhill gold medalist says her best chance for a victory is in Sunday’s downhill.
She has 77 World Cup wins under her belt, nine victories off the record number held by Swedish great, Ingemar Stenmark.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Reuters
