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Vonn completes World Cup hat-trick in Austria

Lindsey Vonn extended her dominance of the World Cup season by completing a hat-trick of victories.
Lindsey Vonn extended her dominance of the World Cup season by completing a hat-trick of victories.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Lindsey Vonn completes superb hat-trick of wins in three days on World Cup circuit
  • American skier wins super-G in Austria to follow successive victories in downhill
  • Vonn extends her overall lead to 192 points over Maria Riesch of Germany
  • Julien Lizeroux of France wins men's World Cup slalom in Switzerland
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(CNN) -- Lindsey Vonn completed a hat-trick of World Cup victories in the space of three days at Haus Im Ennstal in Austria as she claimed Sunday's super-G in fine style.

The American skier powered down the Krummholz course in one minute 26.69 seconds to beat Swede Anja Paerson by over half a second.

Nadia Fanchini of Italy and Martina Schild of Switzerland were tied for third place.

Vonn's super-G success followed victories on Friday and Saturday in downhill races and showed she has fully recovered from the arm injury she sustained in a giant slalom event last month.

She is the first female racer to win on three straight days since Germany's Katja Seizinger in 1997 and it was her 28th World Cup win.

Vonn, from Minnesota, is also the first skier from the United States to achieve this feat.

To cap a superb week for the 26-year-old, she extends her overall World Cup lead to 192 points over Maria Riesch of Germany and is well-placed to retain the title.

Right now I'm on cloud nine, it couln't get much better than this
--Lindsey Vonn

Vonn told her official Web site www.lindseyvonn.com that her hat-trick of World Cup victories was one of the major achievements of her career.

"Today was difficult because I put a bit of extra pressure on myself," she admitted.

"But right now I'm on cloud nine, it couldn't get much better than this," she added.

Vonn will go into the Vancouver Olympics next February as a warm favorite in the speed events of downhill and super-G as she bids for a first Olympic medal of any color.

In men's World Cup slalom action on Sunday, an incredible second run by Julien Lizeroux of France gave him victory at Adelboden in Switzerland.

Lizeroux came from 12th after the first run to win with a combined time of one minute 51.88 seconds.

Austria's Marcel Hirscher finished second with Croatia's Ivica Kostelic in third.

Austrian Benjamin Raich stretched his lead in the overall standings after claiming fourth.

He has 62 points more than Switzerland's Carlo Janka, who skied out on the first leg in front of his home fans.