Vonn dominates downhill to extend World Cup lead

Jan 28, 2012, 11:52 GMT

St Moritz, Switzerland - Lindsey Vonn stormed to a commanding World Cup downhill victory Saturday to follow up a super-combined win in St Moritz the previous day and extend her comfortable lead in the overall standings.

The 27-year-old American outclassed the field and was almost 1.5 seconds up on second-placed Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany for her eighth World Cup win of the season and the 49th of her career.

Vonn clocked 1 minute 43.65 seconds, the defending World Cup champion Hoefl-Riesch trailed by 1.42 seconds and Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was 1.47 seconds back in third place to keep Slovenia's Tina Maze off the podium.

Only the first 10 skiers were within two seconds of Vonn whose overall points tally moves to 1,170, with Maze on 818 and Hoefl-Riesch on 596.

'I think I raced well in the middle section and was able to maintain my speed to the end,' Vonn said.

'I have always had problems in the downhill in St Moritz in the past. On this course it's easy to make mistakes.'

Hoefl-Riesch, who now has five podium places but is still looking for her first victory this season, said: 'The gap to Lindsey was huge but I am pleased with the result. She was in a league of her own - that's something you simply have to acknowledge.'

The women's World Cup continues in St Moritz Sunday with a super-combined.