Vonn falls in Cortina as Brignone takes World Cup win

Again, the American came away mostly unscathed.

Vonn fell on her left hip coming around a gate midway down the course that will be used at next year's Milan-Cortina Olympics. She then slid down the course and came to a stop far away from the safety netting.

Vonn quickly got up, skied down to the finish area and waved to the crowd.

"I got a little bit behind the course and tried to pull it off," Vonn said. "My skis kind of clicked together and I lost my balance."

Vonn had also avoided injury during a crash in downhill training on Thursday.

Home skier Federica Brignone won the super-G ahead of Swiss Olympic champions Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter.

Vonn, who holds the record with 12 wins in Cortina, returned to the circuit last month with a new titanium knee after nearly six years of retirement.

She plans to retire again after next year's Olympics, when women's skiing will be held in Cortina and men's races in Bormio.

Last weekend in St. Anton, Austria, Vonn finished sixth and fourth in a downhill and a super-G, respectively. 

In Saturday's downhill in Cortina, a mistake toward the end of her run resulted in a 20th-place finish.

In her latest race, Vonn was fifth fastest through the second of three checkpoints before she lost control. In all, she was one of 10 skiers who didn't finish a race held in flat light and overcast conditions.

"I was skiing really well," she said. "In general this weekend was really positive but I couldn't quite put it together. 

"It's going to take a little time. Last weekend went so well that everyone's expectations were really high. But this is a journey that no one's taken before. So I'm trying to be patient.

"I need more training, I need more time. And I think it's actually kind of a good thing that I didn't do well this weekend, because it leaves me really hungry for more and also hopefully for next year."

After her 400th World Cup race, the first coming nearly 25 years ago, Vonn smiled: "It means that I have been here for a long time..."

Renate Goetschl holds the women's record with 409 races.

"I should hit that," Vonn said. "Another record. Yeah!"

Meanwhile in Wengen, Switzerland, on Sunday, Atle Lie McGrath protected his first-run lead to complete a Norwegian sweep of the podium in a World Cup slalom.

The US-born Norwegian finished 0.18 seconds ahead of Timon Haugan, who was 10th-fastest in the first run. Henrik Kristoffersen was 0.29 back in third and extended his lead in the season-long slalom standings.

Australian Associated Press