Vonn dominates crash-filled downhill

Canada's Brydon finishes 16th

Last Updated: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 | 7:44 PM ET

CBC Sports

Lindsey Vonn celebrates after crossing the finish line in the lead. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Lindsey Vonn blew away the competition in the Olympic women's downhill on Wednesday, leading a 1-2 American finish in a race marred by a series of spills.

The heavy favourite despite a bruised right shin that hampered her in training, Vonn put down a time of one minute 44.19 seconds on sunny Whistler Mountain in B.C. to defeat teammate Julia Mancuso by more than half a second.

Vonn, winner of the last two downhill and overall World Cup titles and five of six downhill races on tour this season, celebrated loudly after crossing the finish line and seeing that her time had bettered Mancuso's.

"I gave up everything for this," said Vonn. "It means everything to me. … I dreamed about what this would feel like, but it is much better in real life."

Elisabeth Goergl of Austria took the bronze medal, a distant 1.46 seconds back of Vonn.

Whistler's own Britt Janyk was sixth, slightly more than two seconds behind.

"Today I wasn’t quite fast enough to stand on the podium, but I know that I raced my heart out," said Janyk. " That’s a tough course. There is always a jump or terrain or turns, you really have to fight to the finish.

"By the time you get to the bottom, your legs are so tired, but you have to be strong all the way to the finish."

Emily Brydon of Fernie, B.C., Canada's best hope for a medal, finished 16th. The world's fifth-ranked downhiller was 3.69 seconds slower than Vonn.

"I don’t know exactly what was missing. I gave it my best," said Brydon. "I couldn’t have worked any harder. I couldn’t have been more prepared. I couldn’t have had better coaches or support staff around me. It just wasn’t my day."

Shona Rubens of Canmore, Alta., was 21st.

More than a half-dozen skiers crashed on the bumpy course, none more spectacularly than Anja Paerson.

Too much air

The five-time Olympic medallist from Sweden went off five skiers after Vonn and looked poised to challenge for a spot on the podium until she caught too much air on a jump and landed hard. She was taken to hospital, but there was no immediate word on her condition.

Later, Rubens was getting ready to go when a skier in front of her, Edith Miklos of Romania, slid into the safety netting, delaying completion of the race. Miklos eventually got to her feet, but the medics attending to her called for an airlift.

After days of rain and warm temperatures, the race was held under bright sunshine and blue skies. But cool temperatures froze the snow, making it hard and fast.

Because of the bad weather, only one training session — the minimum allowed — was completed prior to the race. That practice was divided into two runs and sandwiched around the men's downhill on Monday.

The women's super-combined is scheduled forThursday, and the men's super-G for Friday.