Lindsey Vonn strikes gold in super-G at worlds

VAL D'ISERE, France — Lindsey Vonn finally has a gold medal at a world championship. Now she's thinking about one for the Olympics.

Vonn won the super-G at the worlds Tuesday and suspects that will give her an edge when the Vancouver Games, her third Olympics, open next February.

"In my life I have always dreamed about succeeding at major events," the 24-year-old American said. "It was really important for me to get the win. It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the world championships and also for the next Olympics."

Vonn excelled when conditions worsened and rivals skied out or couldn't ski fast. She was timed in 1 minute, 20.73 seconds and was followed by France's Marie Marchand-Arvier in 1:21.07 and Austria's Andrea Fischbacher in 1:21.13.

"I just gave it everything I had," Vonn said. "I skied with my heart but also my mind. I skied the right line and that's what it took today."

Vonn raised her arms and punched the air upon crossing the line, a lifetime ambition about to be fulfilled.

"I am so, so, so happy and thankful that I was able to do it," she said. "I've just been working my whole life for this moment."

Vonn is the first U.S. woman to win a worlds gold since Hilary Lindh took the downhill at Sestriere, Italy, in 1997. She has won three races in five days, having taken a World Cup slalom and super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, over the weekend. She tied Tamara McKinney's American women's record of 18 career victories.

Last season, Vonn became the first American woman to win the overall World Cup title in 25 years — since McKinney in 1983 — and she leads the overall standings this season.

Silver medals in the downhill and super-G at the 2007 worlds in Are, Sweden, left Vonn with something to prove to herself. At the Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Turin four years she did no better than sixth place.

Val d'Isere changed all that.

"I know I can do it under a lot of pressure," Vonn said. "Obviously, the Olympics are going to be more pressure and even tougher. I am going to remember the feeling I had (Tuesday), mentally what I was thinking about at the start, and hopefully that experience will help me."