Vonn leads WCup downhill after 1st run, Gut fails to finish

ALTENMARKT-ZAUCHENSEE, Austria (AP) Lindsey Vonn built a commanding lead in the first run of a women's World Cup downhill on Saturday, while overall leader Lara Gut failed to finish.

Vonn timed 1 minute, 4.94 seconds on the shortened Kaelberloch course to lead Larisa Yurkiw of Canada by 0.91, and Tina Weirather of Liechentenstein by 0.92.

Gut, who leads Vonn by 158 points in the overall standings, lost balance halfway down her run and missed the next gate.

By winning the race, the American would match Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of 36 downhill victories.

The run was interrupted when Lotte Smiseth Sejersted of Norway crashed and had to be airlifted off the course with unknown injuries.

It's the first women's downhill in 14 years to be contested over two runs.