McKennis upstages Vonn at St Anton downhill

Four-time overall World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn returned to action on Saturday after a month's absence, but it was US teammate Alice McKennis who topped the podium in the World Cup downhill. McKennis, starting with bib number four, clocked 1min 14.62sec down the Karl Schranz course, for her maiden victory finishing 0.07sec ahead of Italian Daniela Merighetti, with Austrian Anna Fenniger taking third at 0.16sec. Overall World Cup leader Tina Maze of Slovenia came in fourth, with another American, Laurenne Ross in fifth, and Vonn in sixth, 0.34sec adrift. Vonn has endured a roller-coaster season, being hospitalised with an intestinal ailment before bouncing back to win all three races at Lake Louise. However, after falling at Val D'Isere in December, she announced she was heading back to the United States for a month's rest. In 27 days' absence, Vonn missed six events, all technical, comprising three slaloms, two giant slaloms and a parallel slalom. In that time, Maze upped the ante in the race for the overall title by notching up 340 points. Vonn, whose divorce from husband and former ski racer Thomas Vonn was made official on Thursday, now has 454 points in the overall standings, 735 behind Maze.Source : AFP