GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Standing atop the mountain, Lindsey Vonn already knew she was the best skier in the world for the third year in a row.
She didn’t have to make her last run, but she raced anyway and won Friday’s super-G to become the most accomplished U.S. skier with 33 World Cup victories, one more than Bode Miller.
Vonn captured her third straight overall World Cup title when rival and friend Maria Riesch finished out of the top two.
“I said ‘Let’s go for the American record,”’ Vonn said. “I’m so happy — it’s over, the season is over and I’m ecstatic.”
Vonn won the super-G on the Kandahar course in 1 minute, 19.30 seconds. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria was second in 1:19.46 and Nadia Styger of Switzerland took third.
Vonn became the first woman to win three straight overall titles since Petra Kronberger of Austria in 1990-92. She finished the season with a U.S.-record 11 wins, including four of seven super-G races.
“I gave it all I had. I have nothing more,” Vonn said. “I am the most successful American ever, and I am very, very happy.”
Riesch was fourth and dropped 215 points behind Vonn — too much to make up with only one race left in the season.
“I am a little upset because I had really good race at the top but I made a mistake at the bottom, near the finish line,” Riesch said. “But I still have a chance for the slalom title tomorrow.”
Vonn said she would skip the slalom Saturday because “my body is broken.”
Vonn capped a season that included a gold medal in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at the Vancouver Olympics.
“The last few years have gone really well for me,” Vonn said. “I’m so happy everything went well for me this year. It’s so hard to say whether you’ll be able to win the overall title.
“To stand here in the finish and have a title in my hand is so rewarding.”
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