Vonn treated for back injury after race
ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — Lindsey Vonn finished a World Cup super-G in extreme pain and was treated by race doctors for a back injury Saturday.
The American star crossed the finish line in obvious distress, almost one second behind the then-leader, and slumped to the snow.
Vonn’s tentative run after jarring her back early on placed her 24th, trailing 1.56 seconds behind surprise winner Jasmine Flury of Switzerland. The race was shortened because of strong winds higher up the mountain.
Vonn stayed in the finish house to be treated and one hour later limped slowly into a waiting car to be driven from the course.
Minutes earlier, her father Alan Kildow told the Associated Press his daughter was “OK.”
Vonn’s name remained on the Sunday start list with bib No. 14 for another super-G scheduled in the morning..
Flury, who is ranked in the Swiss Alpine team’s third-tier category, had a career-best finish of fifth in World Cup races before Saturday.
Starting No. 14, Flury raced down in bright sunshine and little wind to be 0.10 seconds faster than teammate Michelle Gisin, who wore start bib No. 12.
Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was third, 0.16 behind Flury and leads the discipline standings after two races.. Overall standings leader Mikaela Shiffrin placed 20th, 1.37 back.
In other winter sports news:
• Alexis Pinturault won a men’s World Cup giant slalom for his 10th career victory in the discipline and 20th overall. Ranked third after the opening run at Val d’Isere, France,, the Frenchman posted the fastest time in a flawless second leg to beat Stefan Luitz of Germany by 0.28 seconds. First-run leader Marcel Hirscher had two mistakes and was slowed by a flag — detached from one of the gates — wrapped around his arm for several seconds. The six-time overall champion from Austria dropped to third, 0.54 behind.
• Alina Zagitova performed a near-flawless free skate to win the figure skating Grand Prix Final at Nagoya, Japan. Skating to “Don Quixote,” the 15-yearold world junior champion from Russia placed all seven of her jumps in the second half of her routine and made no major mistakes to finish with 223.30 points. Zagitova landed seven triple jumps while receiving level-fours on her spins and step sequence. Maria Sotskova, Zagitova’s compatriot who was fourth after the short program, also had a strong free skate and moved up to second place with 216.28. Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada, first after the short program, fell on her triple salchow and dropped to third with 215.16.