Vonn's Incredible Save for the Win

LEVI, Finland (Nov. 18) - With Saturday's slalom victory in Finland, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) became the first American woman to win in four separate World Cup disciplines with giant slalom the only notch missing from her belt. However, what may be more incredible is the fact that she had a near-miraculous recovery when, 52 seconds into her second run, she came almost completely to a halt in order to make a difficult gate turn and win the race.

"When I saw my time, I collapsed in the finish - what an incredible feeling," said Vonn. "I almost stopped and I immediately thought to myself 'you could still get a top 5' so I just kept fighting."

Vonn came into a left boot turn too straight and had to throw her skis sideways, nearly stopping completely in order to make the gate. Despite the mistake, the reigning overall and downhill World Cup champion maintained her focus and hit the gas pedal winning the run by .02 seconds over Swede Marie Pietilae-Holmer. It was her first World Cup slalom podium and her first win.

"I must have had a ton more speed in the second run because the gate came up so fast. It was the same gate where Sarah (Schleper) had to hike and the same gate where a bunch of the other girls had problems. I was just lucky enough to throw them sideways," Vonn said. "I went into overdrive and tried to give it everything I had for the last few gates. I guess I was pretty fast at the bottom, because I don't think normally would have won with that mistake."

Second run heroics aside, it was her flawless first run that put her in a position to gun for the historic win with a .22 second advantage over Austrian slalom ace Nicole Hosp. Other technical experts Veronika Zuzulova of Slovakia and local favorite Tanja Poutianen, who was second at the opening giant slalom in Soelden, where regulated to fifth and sixth respectively.

According to Vonn, the Black Levi slope is akin to Buck Hill, Minnesota where she learned to ski as a tyke. Perhaps, that's why her best three World Cup slalom results have now come courtesy of the Arctic locale. She was fourth and sixth respectively in back-to-back slaloms held there just after the Olympics in 2006, less than a month after a horrific downhill training crash nearly knocked her out of the Games.

Vonn has now won the last three World Cup slalom runs, stretching back to her stunning second run at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy last March. She also recorded her career best giant slalom results last season and opened this winter with a top 10 in Soelden. It's these statistics that have World Cup coaches and racers reeling.

"It's crazy, I love Levi. I'm a downhill skier, not a slalom skier, but maybe things are changing a little bit," she said. "It's a great start to the season. I did pretty good in Soelden and now Levi. Whatever I do in slalom and GS, I feel is just extra. Super G and downhill is kind of my bread and butter, so to have a win is just far beyond what I ever thought."

With a giant slalom and slalom slated for the Aspen Winternational, Nov. 29-30 in Aspen, CO, Vonn will have four technical races behind her before moving into a speed week in Lake Louise, Alberta, a venue where she has won four times in the last four years.

Vonn now wears the slalom leaders bib and resumes wearing the overall bib as well - a style that suits her just fine.