Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Overall title in sight for Vonn as finals approach

The Spokesman-Review

Lindsey Vonn is gearing up as the World Cup ski season winds down.

The 23-year-old American just missed adding the individual super-combi to her downhill title Sunday in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, finishing 0.26 seconds behind the winner for third place. But she’s still leading the overall standings with four races left heading into the World Cup finals in Bormio, Italy.

Vonn increased her lead in the overall World Cup standings. She is trying to become the second American woman – joining Tamara McKinney in 1983 – to win the most coveted title in Alpine skiing.

German Maria Riesch won the World Cup super-combi title Sunday with a second-place finish.

Anja Paerson of Sweden was first in the combined downhill and slalom race, followed by Riesch and Vonn.

Vonn leads the overall standings with 1,263 points, 157 ahead of Riesch, who moved into second place. Nicole Hosp of Austria is third with 1,085.

“Manfred Moelgg of Italy won a World Cup slalom event in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, while Bode Miller sat out with a bad back.

Moelgg edged Ivica Kostelic of Croatia and Marcel Hirscher of Austria finished third.

Miller, the overall World Cup leader, retained his lead despite skipping the race. Miller leads with 1,387 points with four races remaining until the World Cup finals next week in Bormio, Italy.

Switzerland’s Didier Cuche remains a contender for the overall title with 1,218 points.

“Bill Demong set an American milestone in finishing third overall in the Nordic combined World Cup after placing 21st in the season finale in Oslo, Norway.

No American had previously finished higher than fourth overall. Todd Lodwick, who retired two years ago, had finished fourth overall in 1998, 2000 and 2005.

Olympics

U.S. men add Spector

West Ham defender Jonathan Spector was added to the U.S. under-23 team’s roster for Olympic qualifying.

Five players were cut from the provisional 24-man roster announced last month: midfielders Arturo Alvarez, Benny Feilhaber and Robbie Rogers, defender Mike Randolph and goalkeeper Tally Hall.

The United States, in Group A of the North and Central America and the Caribbean region, opens Tuesday against Cuba, then plays Panama two days later and Honduras on Saturday. All three matches are in Tampa, Fla.

“Chinese police broke up a terror plot targeting the Beijing Olympics, and a flight crew foiled an apparent attempt to crash a Chinese jetliner in a separate case, officials said.

The incidents may give greater force to China’s arguments that extreme measures are necessary to ensure social stability and the safety of August’s Olympics.

Miscellany

Clay cleans up

American Bryan Clay won gold in the heptathlon at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Valencia, Spain.

The 28-year-old Clay opened with a win in the 60 and won three more events, scoring a personal best 6,371 points for his second world title.

The U.S. picked up another gold in the men’s 1,600 relay. That lifted the U.S. gold-medal count to five and 13 medals overall.

“Serena Williams won her first title in 11 months, defeating Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-3 in the Bangalore Open tennis final in Bangalore, India.

“American Sam Querrey won the Tennis Channel Open for his first ATP title in Las Vegas, rallying to beat South African qualifier Kevin Anderson 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a matchup of first-time finalists.

“Matt Walsh, the former New England Patriots employee said to have tapes of illegal spying by the team, is close to an agreement to turn over information to the NFL, the league said in a statement last week.

“Mike McClelland won the Sunshine Showdown Bassmaster tournament in Leesburg, Fla.