GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Olympic downhill gold medallist Lindsey Vonn capped a historic season with her third straight overall World Cup title Friday.
Vonn won the final super-G race of the season for her 33rd World Cup win, which breaks the tie she had with Bode Miller as the most decorated American skier.
"This was the dream season. To break the U.S. record in World Cup wins and to get the Olympic gold in the downhill, my favourite discipline, and the overall title for the third time, for me it doesn't get much better," Vonn said. "When you work this hard and be rewarded like this at the end of the season feels so great."
Vonn became the first woman to win three straight overall titles since Petra Kronberger of Austria in 1990-92. Only three other women have that many overall titles - Vreni Schneider of Switzerland and Janica Kostelic of Croatia have three each and Annemarie Moser-Proell of Austria leads all with six.
"Someone just told me she had won six World Cups overall and I think my jaw is still on the ground right now," Vonn said.
Vonn won the race on the 2,180-metre long Kandahar course in one minute 19.30 seconds. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria was second in 1:19.46 and Nadia Styger of Switzerland took third in 1:19.87, .02 seconds ahead of Riesch.
Britt Janyk of Whistler, B.C., was 11th, while Emily Brydon of Fernie, B.C., was 15th.
"I was hoping to come out today and have a good result," Janyk said. "It was OK, it was really nice to start No. 1 and have a fresh course. There are some positives that I can take from today for sure."
Janyk said she was looking forward to possibly racing with her brother Michael in Sunday's team event.
Olympic champion Andrea Fischbacher of Austria crashed.
Vonn was the last racer to go down the Kandahar hill and could have chosen not to race since she knew by then she had the title. She had a bruised right knee after falling in Thursday's giant slalom and is still nursing a shin bruise and a broken little right finger.
Vonn's title was secure when rival and friend Maria Riesch of Germany dropped out of the top two. Riesch finished fourth, giving Vonn an unassailable lead of 215 points in the standings before the last race of the season, Saturday's slalom.
"I knew before I started. I had (husband) Thomas at the start with me. I was so nervous, because I knew if Maria was second or higher I had to get into the top seven or risk letting the globe slip through my fingers," said Vonn, who will skip the slalom. "I am just so glad I was able to do it. I can't tell you the relief I have that I won, that I got the overall title and the season is finally over."
Vonn also picked up titles in the downhill, the super-G and the combined events. Besides current injuries, she also bruised her left arm in a crash in December.
Vonn's 11 wins this season is also an American record. Only one skier ever had more, Schneider with 14 in the 1988-89 season. Moser-Proell and Anja Paerson of Sweden also have 11 in one season. Vonn's 33 career wins puts her in a tie for sixth place on the all-time list with Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein. Moser-Proell leads that list with 62.
Riesch needed to finish in the top two in the super-G on her home slope to remain in the title race.
"I am a little upset because I had really good race at the top but I made a mistake at the bottom, near the finish line," Riesch said. "But I still have a chance for the slalom title tomorrow."
Vonn has spent the Christmas holidays with Riesch at the German's home in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is popular with German fans. She is a good German speaker.
"Maria didn't make it easy for me," Vonn said. "She is such a strong competitor in all five disciplines and she didn't let off the gas the entire year. She made it a tough fight for me, but I think that is awesome.
"I love competing with Maria. We have both had a great season and she is going to be one of my toughest - if not the toughest - competitors for my entire career.
Vonn won four of seven super-G races this season.
"I am now going to go somewhere warm for a long time and not put my skis on after today probably until August," Vonn said. "It has been a long season and I am looking forward to some place - really anywhere - with a lounge chair and a drink with an umbrella in it."
She also won the downhill gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics and the bronze in the super-G.
"I am looking forward to recuperating and recovering and not hurting my body for a few months at least," Vonn said.