Crans-Montana: Vonn prepared to fight for overall

CRANS MONTANA – The last time an American woman won the overall World Cup title, Lindsey Vonn was not born. It was 1983 and on the strength of her giant slalom and slalom, Tamara McKinney became the only U.S. women to take the coveted large globe.
    Going into the final six races of the season Lindsey Vonn has a 54 point advantage over last year’s champion, Austria’s Nicole Hosp. Vonn knows it is going to be no coast to the World Cup finals which begin in Bormio, Italy next Wednesday.
    "I need to ski solid like I have been doing in downhill this season," Vonn said with quiet confidence. "I need to get points and get on the podium."
CRANS MONTANA – The last time an American woman won the overall World Cup title, Lindsey Vonn was not born. It was 1983 and on the strength of her giant slalom and slalom, Tamara McKinney became the only U.S. women to take the coveted large globe.
    Going into the final six races of the season Lindsey Vonn has a 54 point advantage over last year’s champion, Austria’s Nicole Hosp. Vonn knows it is going to be no coast to the World Cup finals which begin in Bormio, Italy next Wednesday.
    "I need to ski solid like I have been doing in downhill this season," Vonn said with quiet confidence. "I need to get points and get on the podium."
    The super combined Sunday offers another challenge for Vonn as her rival, Hosp, is the stronger slalom skier.
    "I just have to have a good downhill and in the slalom, I will try and be fast, but not take too much risk," Vonn added.
    Unfortunately for Hosp, last weekend’s races in Zwiesel, Germany, were literally blown away as much of central Europe suffered through one of the worst wind storms in years. For the Austrian the loss of two gate races made Vonn the hot favorite for the title. Hosp knows she will have her work cut out for her as there are four speed races left and only two gate races.
    "I will push very hard," Hosp said quietly. "Then I will see what is happening."
    Vonn knows her success in speed is the path to the big crystal overall globe.
    "I definitely don’t want to leave it to the two final races to get the overall," Vonn said. "I am going to have to solid in all my speed events from here on out."
    Vonn will have to capitalize on her speed skills because Hosp has a solid edge in the gate races where she is currently second in the slalom rankings and sixth in the GS race. Vonn is ranked 15th in GS and 41st in slalom.