BANSKO, Bulgaria — Lindsey Vonn won her fourth straight super-G race Sunday and promised to chase more trophies on the women’s World Cup circuit after a successful stop in Bulgaria.
“There is no conservative skiing for me,” the 24-year-old American said. “I have to be really aggressive — that’s my strategy.”
After three races here, the defending overall World Cup champion widened her lead in the standings to nearly 400 points. She also moved into contention for the super-G trophy a day after clinching the downhill title, joining her idol, Picabo Street, as the only Americans to win back-to-back titles in the discipline.
On Sunday, Vonn won the super-G in 1 minute, 14.49 seconds, sweeping aside concerns caused by an injured thumb and a bruising fall in training three days ago.
Two of the tournament’s standouts, Fabienne Suter of Switzerland and Tina Maze of Slovenia, lagged by 0.58 and 0.91 seconds for second and third place.
Bulgaria’s bumpy and icy course — used for the first time on the women’s circuit — hurt Vonn’s main rivals in the overall standings.
Germany’s Maria Riesch, who tied for fifth place Sunday, is now 391 points behind Vonn’s tally of 1,556 in the overall standings. Anja Paerson of Sweden, third overall with 986 points, finished her first race in Bulgaria for 10th place in the super-G.
“I think all my disciplines are better this year,” Vonn said. “Super-G has been the best season in my life, above and beyond what I expected this year.”
The American closed within 15 points of Suter in the super-G standings.
Vonn has been skiing with her thumb in a splint since she required surgery after slicing a tendon on a champagne bottle while celebrating after winning a gold medal at the world championships in Val d’Isere, France, last month.
“It’s definitely very painful when I’m starting and also in slalom,” Vonn said. “I think it also affects my balance.
“I was able to win today. I’m happy that it’s not holding me back too much. I know I’m losing time out of my start, but I’m being more aggressive and taking more chances in my skiing because I know I’ve already lost that time.”
Missing the podium is another motivator.
Earlier this month, Vonn won her 19th World Cup race to top Tamara McKinney for the U.S. women’s record. On Saturday, however, she finished only 12th in the downhill.
“She took that anger she had from yesterday and put it down the hill,” U.S. speed coach Alex Hoedlmoser said of Vonn’s performance in the super-G. “What she’s doing right now is pretty amazing.”
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