Vonn's Olympics end with slalom elimination

Last Updated: Friday, February 26, 2010 | 3:00 PM ET

By Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports

A dejected Lindsey Vonn leaves the course after missing a gate in the women's slalom. (Michael Kappeler/AFP/Getty Images)

Lindsey Vonn's Olympics are over after the U.S. alpine star was eliminated from the women's slalom race Friday for straddling a gate.

Maria Riesch of Germany, a good friend of Vonn's, had the fastest time in the first of two runs at snowy Whistler Creekside. The super-combined gold medallist holds a 0.40-second lead over Czech Sarka Zahrobska and a 0.65-second advantage on third-place finisher Marlies Schild of Austria.

Three of the four Canadian entries qualified for the final run later Friday by finishing in the top 30. Brigitte Acton of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., was tied for 11th, 1.36 seconds behind, while Erin Mielzynski of Guelph, Ont., was 19th, and Anna Goodman of Pointe Claire, Que., was tied for 22nd.

Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., finished 42nd and did not advance.

Defending champion Anja Paerson of Sweden was a distant 2.18 back in 20th place as she chased a record seventh career Olympic medal in women's alpine racing.

"It was tough. This Olympics has been all about the weather," said Paerson, the bronze medallist in the super-combined.

The highest-ranked slalom racers had the early start numbers and the best conditions as wet, clinging snow slowed the course. Rain and fog were forecast for the afternoon.

Rebounded for bronze

The seven fastest finishers in the morning all came from the first nine starters. Vonn was No. 10.

Vonn's "Did Not Finish," or DNF, was her third in the five alpine events at the Vancouver Games. After winning gold as expected in the downhill, she fell while leading the super-combined, then rebounded to take bronze in the super-G, her second-strongest event. She finished by crashing out in the giant slalom and slalom, her two weakest disciplines.

"I went out there fighting and it just wasn't my day," said Vonn. "I'm totally satisfied with everything I have done here. I have the gold medal I came here for."

Vonn was competing Friday with a broken pinkie finger suffered in the giant slalom crash. She has also been bothered by a sore shin since going down in a training run prior to the Olympics.

Two medals are hardly a disappointment, but the 26-year-old was touted as a threat to land three and was heavily favoured in both the downhill and super-G. Instead, Vonn was outshined by U.S. teammate Bode Miller, who captured a medal of each colour: gold in the men's combined, silver in the super-G and bronze in the downhill.

Miller will try for medal No. 4 in Saturday's men's slalom, the final alpine event of the Vancouver Olympics.

Vonn said her injuries shouldn't keep her from trying to win a third consecutive World Cup overall championship. She leads Riesch and Paerson heading into next week's stop in Switzerland.

"It's something that I can fight through," Vonn said. "At this point I'm looking forward to the next two weeks of the season where I'm fighting for my third overall title."