CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland - It looked as if Lindsey Vonn had clinched the 33rd World Cup win of her career in Crans Montana on Sunday. Wearing bib No. 22, she fired down the course 0.33 seconds ahead of then-leader Julia Mancuso. The two, as they did in the Olympic downhill a couple weeks ago, were standing side by side in the leader's box under blue skies and sun, about to take the two top steps of the podium.

But then, wearing bib No. 29 and much to the delight of the enthusiastic Swiss flag-waving crowd, Dominique Gisin threw down her fastest race in more than a year. Leading right out of the gate, the Swiss skier - miraculously recovered from her hideous crash on the Olympic downhill course in Whistler (she was the one who crashed upon landing off the finish jump and rolled like a rag doll across the finish line), landed her first win of the season in 1 minute, 24.14 seconds.

It was the first World Cup victory for the 24-year-old since her back-to-back downhill wins last season in Altenmark-Zauchensee and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and her first ever in super G. The victory was especially sweet for Gisin since just a month before the Olympic Games, she underwent the eighth knee surgery of her career following a crash that tore her meniscus in Haus im Ennstal in January. When it became clear that the race was hers, the Swiss team shook open a bottle of champagne and all toasted their teammate in the finish area.

Once again sporting her new pink cheetah-spotted speed suit, Vonn opened her mouth in surprise upon watching Gisin cross the finish line, but smiled and waved to the cameras even as she moved to the second step of the podium, 0.15 seconds off the pace. Julia Mancuso, donning large sunglasses and also waving, took the third step, 0.38 off the winning pace. Hot off her two Olympic silver medals, it was the best World Cup result for Mancuso, who voluntarily skipped the downhill and super-combined races in Crans Montana, since February of 2008. It was just the fourth podium of her Cup career in super G (though she took SG bronze at the 2005 world championships).

Mancuso good-naturedly laughed and chatted with Gisin while waiting for the flower ceremony after the race, dancing to the spontaneous song the Swiss crowd broke into for their countrywoman.

Including her Olympic bronze performance and world championship gold last season, it was the 11th straight podium for Vonn in super G. The last time she didn't finish on the podium in the discipline was January of last year.

According to U.S. women's head coach Jim Tracy, the wind was gusting up to 40 kilometers per hour and both Vonn and Mancuso stuck out their speedy runs through a series of head winds.

"We had a big issue with wind today," Tracy said. "I have to say, the girls knew it, we told them they needed to fly low and execute everything we'd been telling them, and they did exactly that. It's absolutely great. This is a huge thing for Jules, especially. We're all very proud of her efforts. She's had her struggles, but I'm hoping all of those are behind her. It's a great way to end the World Cup season."

As the top 14 racers all finished within the same second on Sunday, the other Americans didn't fair quite so well. Stacey Cook, Leanne Smith and Laurenne Ross finished 31st, 32nd and 33rd, respectively, while Chelsea Marshall was 37th and Alice McKennis was among the handful of racers to land outside of the final jump of the course and miss the ensuing gate.

Of the Canadians, Emily Brydon had the best finish in 16th, while Britt Janyk was 28th.

It was Gisin's first World Cup victory on home turf, and she sang along to her national anthem during the ceremony laughing and shaking her head as it wrapped up and her coaches carried her off the podium on their shoulders.

"All of us are really happy for her," Tracy said of Gisin. "That was a great accomplishment for her. She's been through some tough times."

The World Cup continues with Finals in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, beginning Wednesday with downhill.

- S.F.

Photos by GEPA

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women's super G, Crans-Montana, Switzerland, March 7, 2010
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Gisin, Dynastar/Lange/Marker
2 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
3 Mancuso, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
4 Styger, Volkl/Lange/Marker
5 Jacquemod, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
6 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
7 Paerson, Head/Head/Head
8 Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
9 Marchand-Arvier, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Goergl, Head/Head/Head

Women's super G, Crans-Montana, Switzerland, March 7, 2010. … It is the 28th race of the women's 33 race 2010 World Cup schedule with one cancellation. …  Four races remain. … It is the sixth of seven scheduled super G's. … It is the 31st World Cup race at Crans-Montana.

It is the third career World Cup win for Dominique Gisin. … her first in SG the others coming in DH. … It is the first Swiss win at the Swiss resort since 1986. … It is her first win of the season, her previous best  a fifth in DH at Lake Louise Dec. 5.

It is the 62nd career World cup podium result for Lindsey Vonn. … Her 19th in super G. … It is her 15th podium of the season (17 including the Olympics). … In four completed races at Cran Montana for her World Cup career Vonn has finished on the podium in every one.

It is the 20th career World Cup podium result for Julia Mancuso. … Her fifth in super G. … It is her first World Cup podium result of the season. … She did win two silver medals at the Olympics.

Emily Brydon, in 16th, matches her 27th best career World Cup super G result. … It is her second best SG result of the season topped only by 9th at St Moritz Jan. 31. … It is the eighth scoring result of the season for Britt Janyk. … Her fifth in SG. … Americans Stacey Cook, Leanne Smith and Laurenne Ross all just missed the points finishing 31-33 respectively all .28 away from the final point in 30th.

With four races remaining Lindsey Vonn leads the World Cup overall standings 1491-1246 over Maria Riesch (8th in race). … Anja Paerson (7th in race) is third with 922 points and cannot win the overall title. … Vonn was on the podium in all six Cup SG's held this season and leads the SG standings 520-239 over Andrea Fischbacher. … She clinched the title in January.