U.S. women win team downhill competition

By USSA

SCHLADMING, Austria -– After the points were tallied from Wednesday’s season ending Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill, the women’s U.S. Ski Team won the nations’ downhill standings by a 636 point margin over Austria.

Lindsey Vonn of Vail, Julia Mancuso of Squaw Valley, Stacey Cook of Mammoth Mountain, Alice McKennis of Glenwood Springs, Colo., Laurenne Ross of Bend, Ore., and Leanne Smith of North Conway, N.H., combined for 1,417 points to defend the title they had first secured in 2011.

It was the second consecutive season that the U.S. Ski Team had won the women’s downhill standings.

Vonn won the individual downhill title for a record fifth straight season.

Mancuso was fifth in the standings, Cook 10th, McKennis 20, Ross 22 and Smith 25.

All six athletes posted top 10 finishes this season with McKennis, Ross and Smith landing career bests in downhill.