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Lindsey Vonn rises to the challenge on the Karl-Schranz run

Canada's Kelly Vanderbeek speeds down the Karl-Schranz course on her way to take second place during the Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Downhill race in St. Anton, Austria, on Friday. PHOTO: AP

Lindsey Vonn of the US won the women's World Cup downill on Friday ahead of Canadian Kelly Vanderbeek and Julia Mancuso, also of the US.

Vonn, formerly known as Kildow prior to her recent marriage, claimed her second downhill of the season after her victory at Lake Louise last month.

On the difficult Karl-Schranz run that usually hosts the men's downhill, Vonn was the only one of the pre-race favorites to rise to the challenge.

Sweden's Anja Paerson, who had grabbed a brace of victories to launch her stuttering campaign last week -- albeit on a comparatively easier run in Saint Moritz, Switzerland -- failed to finish, while Austrian speed queen Renate Goetschl disappointed by finishing 1.15 seconds behind Vonn.

Overall, Austria placed three racers in the top ten. But with downhill specialist Goetschl finishing 13th the "Wunderteam" were hardly impressed by the veteran.

Austria's Nicole Hosp, the reigning World Cup overall champion, finished sixth and that was enough for her to take back the overall lead from Paerson.

Paerson, the reigning world champion in downhill, super-G and combined, will aim to make amends in the super-combined which features a downhill followed by a slalom.

If she wants to keep tabs on Austria's World Cup overall contenders Hosp and Marlies Schild, Paerson will have to finish high up in the points.

Vonn, 23, has now been on the podium three times in four races and leads the World Cup downhill standings with a 106-point cushion on Canada's Britt Janyk, who finished eighth on Friday.

While Vonn and Mancuso reinforced their status among the speed queens on the circuit, Vanderbeek took her first podium spot in the World Cup.

The 24-year-old, who like many of her Canadian teammates is hoping to mature in time for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, finished just 0.02 seconds ahead of Mancuso, who completed the all-north American podium.
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