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Lindsey Vonn Crashes In Penultimate Race As Mikaela Shiffrin Wins World Title

(CNN) - It was supposed to be a happy farewell, but Lindsey Vonn crashed in her opening race at skiing's World Championships as compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin triumphed in Sweden. The 34-year-old Vonn flew off a jump and careered into netting in Tuesday's super-G, the penultimate race of her glittering career after announcing her retirement last week because of the toll the sport has taken on her "broken" body.

FIS World Ski Championships - Women's Super G
ARE, SWEDEN - FEBRUARY 5: Lindsey Vonn of USA crashes out during the FIS World Ski Championships Women's Super G on February 5, 2019 in Are Sweden. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)

After race officials and medics rushed to her aid, Vonn eventually got back up and skied tentatively down the course in Are.

ALPINE SKI-WORLD-WOMEN-SWE-SUPER G
Lindsey Vonn (2nd L) of the US gets help after she crashed during the women's Super G event of the 2019 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships at the National Arena in Are, Sweden, on February 5, 2019. (Photo by Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP) (Photo credit should read JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)

She was greeted with a rousing ovation in the finish area and waved to the large crowd as she took off her skis.

ALPINE SKI-WORLD-WOMEN-SWE-SUPER G
US' Lindsey Vonn reacts as she arrives after falling in the finish area during women's Super G event of the 2019 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships at the National Arena in Are, Sweden, on February 5, 2019. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

The American's final race is scheduled to be Sunday's downhill.

'Mentally tougher'

Shiffrin, who started immediately before Vonn in bib number 15, took the lead with a host of racers still to come, including Olympic super-G champion Ester Ledecka.

But the 23-year-old held on to beat Italy's Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia by 0.02 seconds with Swiss Corinne Suter 0.05 secs back.

Slalom specialist Shiffrin is bidding for a fourth straight slalom world title in Are. The Olympic giant slalom champion is not planning to race in the downhill but will contest the slalom, giant slalom and possibly combined event in Are.

Shiffrin has been the standout women's skier this season with 13 wins on the World Cup circuit to climb to 56 victories overall, making her the fifth most successful ski racer of all time.

"She's mentally tougher than anyone else, she trains more ... she does everything well and you're seeing the results," American ski great Bode Miller told Eurosport, referring to runaway World Cup standings leader Shiffrin.

Ledecka, who also won snowboarding gold in Pyeongchang, was more than two seconds off the pace after a disappointing run.

'My body is broken beyond repair'

Vonn has won 82 World Cup races, second on the all-time list behind Ingemar Stenmark (86), and is the most successful women's ski racer of all time.

She was a double world champion in 2009 and clinched Olympic downhill gold in 2010.

Despite a host of injuries in recent years, Vonn fought back to clinch downhill bronze in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Vonn said in October that this season would be her last but a knee injury in a training crash at Copper Mountain, Colorado in November put back her season debut until January. She struggled with knee pain in two races in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy and after much soul-searching she announced Friday she would retire after the World Championships.

"The past two weeks have been some of the most emotionally challenging days of my life," Vonn wrote on Facebook.

"I am struggling with the reality of what my body is telling me versus what my mind and heart believe I'm capable of. The unfortunate reality is my mind and body are not on the same page. After many sleepless nights, I have finally accepted that I cannot continue ski racing."

She added: "My body is broken beyond repair and it isn't letting me have the final season I dreamed of. My body is screaming at me to STOP and it's time for me to listen."

By Rob Hodgetts, CNN

The-CNN-Wire
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