Vonn grabs second gold, becomes best American female ever!

Tamera McKinney has long been the most decorated woman ever to race for the United States. Sure, Picabo Street made a run for the same claim back in the mid-late 1990s, but with an overall World Cup title, 18 career wins, and a gold in the 1989 World Championships combined, McKinney was in a class all by herself.

Last week, fellow American Lindsay Vonn tied McKinney’s mark when she notched her 18th career WC win. A few days later she won the super giant slalom at the World Championships, and then today she finally eclipsed the legendary McKinney with a gold in the Woman’s downhill.

With a slid lead in the overall season standings and the simple fact she’s still quite young, Lindsay Vonn has already become the most decorated U.S. female skier ever. Time will tell what other accolades she adds to that list.

World Cup Alpine Racers Gearing Up For 08/09 Season!

With the first event of the 2008/2009 World Cup season coming up in Austria in October, racers from around the world are fine-tuning their skis and their skills for the year. After months of dry land training and little rest, most countries have their racers training on glaciers from New Zealand to Austria. While glacier training is great for the technical events such as slalom and giant slalom, the speed events usually get left out of the regimen until the season starts and early season training facilities prepare courses. With little news out of any camps this summer, it's hard to pick clear favorites for the overalls, but one would have to think that if Bode Miller decides to race - and has replaced his coaches - he will be at or near the top of the standings. On the women's side, there is no reason to think that Lindsay Vonn's success from last season won't carry over to this year, but I would think that among the strong contingent of Europeans, American Julia Mancuso is going to want to bounce back form an up and down season last year.

Miller Snubs Maine Faithful!

One week removed from hoisting two crystal globes - one for the men's combined alpine skiing season title and the other for the men's overall, Bode Miller has apparently had enough skiing and press. As the annual U.S. National Alpine Championships begun at Sugarloaf, Maine, Miller was elsewhere. Having attended Carrabassett Valley Academy at the base of the mountain, Miller is a fan favorite and idol to many aspiring racers and recreational skiers alike in the part of the country, but apparently 7 months on the World Cup circuit was enough as Miller's agent confirmed that he was off to a sunny and warm place to relax after the season. I guess one more week was too much to ask from a guy who gained a lot from this mountain community. Quite frankly, it's sad, but thankful fans will get to see the women's downhill and overall champion, Lindsay Vonn in action, as she arrived for the week-long event. Ted Ligety, who won the giant slalom title in the last week of competition is home in Utah having a hand injury evaluated.
And typical of Maine weather, the downhill, which was slated for both men and women for Saturday will at least be postponed due to variable course conditions, high winds, and blowing snow.

Sugarloaf gears up for Alpine Championships

The U.S. National Alpine Championships are set to begin on Wednesday, March 19th at Sugarloaf, Maine. After capturing 5 crystal globes this past week for perhaps its’ best season ever, American skiers will converge on this western Maine resort for the 4th time since 1996 for the annual National Championships. Sugarloaf is home to Carrabassett Valley Academy, which is the alma mater of newly crowned overall World Cup winner, Bode Miller. The event will run through Wednesday, March 26th. As of today, all the stars from the U.S. Ski Team, as well as Bode Miller were expected to attend the races, which were last help at Sugarloaf in 2006.

Vonn & Miller Clinch Over World Cup Globes!

It was March 1983, 25 years ago when Sports Illustrated published a magazine with Phil Mahre and Tamera McKinney on the cover together. Who, you ask? Phil and Tamera had just become the first US skiers to win the overall Alpine World Cup skiing titles in the same year. Given the yearly dominance of the Europeans, it was the first and the last time this had happened until today. It should also be noted that a male and a female form the same country winning in the same year almost never happens, regardless of what countries they represent. Regardless, with strong finished in the giant slalom and slalom respectively, Bode Miller and Lindsay Vonn both clinched the overall titles today. While there will be much more on this later, especially as Miller, who skis for the US, doesn’t ski for the US Ski Team; however, another American clichéd a title today as 2006 Combined Olympic Gold Medalist, Ted Ligety, won the final giant slalom, which was not only his second win in a month, but earned him the giant slalom globe. Ligety’s title makes it four title for the Americans this year. These include the two overalls and Lindsay Vonn’s Downhill title.

Of note, Miller only trailed Didier Cuche of Switzerland by five points prior to Wednesday’s scheduled downhill, which was cancelled due to weather. The cancellation gave Cuche the title. Something tells me Miller isn’t all that upset.