Vonn clinches overall crown, place in history books

Feeling "almost normal" with her hand still bandaged following thumb surgery last month, Lindsey Vonn skied into the history books yesterday at the World Cup finals in Are, Sweden.

Having already clinched the downhill title, Vonn streaked to a big win in downhill, clinching the overall World Cup title. The feat gives her not only back-to-back overall titles, but also repeat downhill crowns - a feat unmatched in American ski racing history.

"It's really a special moment in my life," said Vonn who, at 24, has displaced Tamara McKinney and mentor Picabo Street as the greatest woman racer in US history. "I give my whole life for the sport and to be able to win something like this for a second time in a row - it means a lot to me.

"It's why I work hard, it's what I live for and it's special to have been able to put my own mark in the history books," Vonn said.

Of her bandaged thumb, injured on the glass of a celebratory champagne bottle, Vonn, who won the race by .40 seconds over Germany's Maria Riesch, said it only hurts early on.

"When I push out of the start I feel pain and it gives me a challenge because it makes my starts weak," she said. "It's a little awkward holding the pole, but once I'm into my run it's almost like normal."

And though she looks back over her successful season, and ahead to next year's Olympics, there's still some unfinished business. There's one more day of skiing in the World Cup season, and Vonn is just 15 points behind Switzerland's Fabienne Suter for the super-G title.

"I'm really looking forward to [super-G]," she said. "It's going to be a fight for sure . . . and I think anything is possible."