BEAVER CREEK, Colo. — Tina Maze of Slovenia is closing in on another medal at the world championships after winning the downhill portion of Monday’s Alpine combined. Lindsey Vonn finished seventh as she struggled on the icy slope with her surgically repaired right knee.
Maze was timed in 1 minute, 45.25 seconds and held a 0.02-second lead over Lara Gut of Switzerland heading into the afternoon slalom run. Anna Fenninger of Austria is third, 0.26 seconds behind.
The 31-year-old Maze is chasing after her third medal at worlds. She’s trying to match Norwegian great Lasse Kjus, who earned five medals at the 1999 worlds in Beaver Creek.
Vonn never found her rhythm on the downhill course and said after the race the icy conditions don’t “really feel good on my knee. I’m pretty sore.” She’s 1.31 seconds off Maze’s lead heading into the slalom, a discipline she hasn’t trained in much the last few seasons.
“I’m struggling with this downhill,” said Vonn, who became the all-time winningest female World Cup racer this season. “I haven’t skied ice since my injuries. I’d say I need a little more practice before I can really be fast on (ice).”
Although Vonn has won five speed events on the World Cup circuit this season, it hasn’t been on hills as demanding as the Raptor course. This slope is technically difficult and now, after a week’s worth of races, quite bumpy. It’s jarring on the knees.
The 30-year-old Vonn blew out her right knee in a super-G race at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria. She then hurt her knee again in her comeback, keeping her out of the Sochi Olympics.
Vonn was looking forward to this event in her backyard. So far, she’s captured one medal in front of a hometown crowd — a bronze in the super-G.
Maze and Fenninger have stolen the show in Beaver Creek. Fenninger won gold and Maze the silver in the super-G. It was the reverse in the downhill race, with Maze taking gold and Fenninger the silver.
Austria’s Nicole Hosp remains in the mix, too, finishing the downhill run 0.90 seconds behind Maze. Hosp earned a silver medal in the event at the 2014 Sochi Games.
“It’s a good situation for the second run,” Hosp said. “I have to push.”
American Julia Mancuso has her work cut out for her as she finished 2.67 seconds behind Maze.
“It’s hasn’t been my world champs so far, but a ton of fun to see the support for ski racing and be at home,” said Mancuso, who’s from Squaw Valley, California.
