TARVISIO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn clinched her fourth consecutive downhill crystal globe Saturday by finishing second to Anja Paerson, who posted her first victory of a frustrating season.
Paerson clocked 1 minute, 26.91 seconds down the Prampero course to record a commanding win in a season hampered by knee problems.
It was the 42nd World Cup victory of the Swede's career, improving her fourth-place position on the all-time list and moving her two in front of Vonn.
Vonn finished 0.73 behind and now holds an insurmountable 143-point lead in the downhill standings over German rival Maria Riesch, who finished sixth but remains the overall leader.
While she knew she had clinched the title, Vonn didn't celebrate upon crossing the finish line, showing her competitiveness at having missed a race victory and a chance to cut even more points off Riesch's overall lead.
Riesch is 136 points ahead in the overall ranks with Vonn favored to make up more ground in Sunday's super-G, when the American can clinch her third discipline title in three days, having taken the super-combined globe Friday.
Riesch was visibly disappointed with her run, slamming into the protective padding at the finish and banging her pole in frustration.
In a day full of emotions, not even Paerson celebrated, instead grimacing in pain due to her knee problem.
Elisabeth Goergl, who swept gold in super-G and downhill at last month's world championships, finished 1.17 back in third, while Friday's super-combined winner Tina Maze was fourth.
The race was marked by perfectly sunny and cool conditions, although the course was shortened due to the lack of a training session on the upper section.