Val d'Isere, France - Lindsey Vonn of the United States lived up to her top billing on Tuesday to claim a first career alpine skiing world title, in the super-g. Vonn, 24, won the first of possible multiple titles in Val d'Isere ahead of French surprise Marie Marchand-Arvier and Andrea Fischbacher of Austria. She is the first American woman to win the super-g title.
Two-time defending champion Anja Paerson of Sweden led a list of top contenders who failed to finish on the demanding 1,926-metre Piste Rhone Alpes with a vertical drop of 600m.
Vonn came to Val d'Isere with second-place finishes at the 2007 worlds super-g and downhill races, but this time is the top skier in the world as defending World Cup champion and season leader.
"Now I have the gold I wanted. I will be relaxed in the next races," the all-rounder Vonn said after winning the championship opener.
Vonn clocked 1 minute 20.73 seconds for victory in the 56-starter field. Marchand-Arvier and Fischbacher made the best of better visibility early in the race, clocking 1:21.07 and 1:21.13, respectively.
"I am delighted. I didn't think I could win with this bib (21). But I attacked and gave it all I had," said Vonn.
Marchand-Arvier, whose best career results until Tuesday were two third-place finishes in downhill races, spoke of "a magical moment" in the "possibly the race of my life" in front of a delighted home crowd in the French Alps.
Fischbacher described her third place "unbelievable" as she gave the powerhouse Austria a solid start into the championships.
But the victory Tuesday could be just the start of a golden run for Vonn, who is also among the top favourites in the downhill, super-combined and slalom. She has 18 career World Cup wins in all five alpine ski disciplines.
Paerson won three golds in 2007, but her further appearances in Val d'Isere appear in doubt as she failed to finish Tuesday, possibly further injuring her troubled knee as she skied out.
Other casualties included Austrian veteran Renate Goetschl and US skier Julia Mancuso.
The world championships continue with the men's super-g on Wednesday.
