Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, reacts in finish area following her run in the women's World Cup downhill ski race event in Lake Louise, Alta., Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntoshJeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
A young girl ran away from Lindsey Vonn celebrating the skiing star's autograph on her forehead Saturday.
It's not unusual for Vonn to sign someone's anatomy, particularly at Lake Louise and the American obliged again after winning her second downhill race in as many days Saturday at the Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup.
Vonn increased her career victory total at Lake Louise to 10. The Olympic champion has more World Cup victories at this mountain resort west of Calgary than anywhere else in her decorated career.
Vonn was 1.65 seconds faster than runner-up Marie Marchand-Arvier of France after winning by nearly two seconds the previous day.
Provincial and club skiers craned their necks and called Vonn's name for autographs as she passed by following her run.
"Kids come up with some crazy ideas with what they want me to sign," Vonn said. "Mostly it's hats and shirts, but a lot of times it's cheeks, foreheads and arms. It's really cute."
When Vonn was a young skier, she asked Olympic champion Picabo Street to autograph a poster. Vonn recalled the impact that poster hanging on her wall had.
"I try to do my best to keep the kids positive and smiling and encourage them to follow their dreams like Picabo did for me," she said.
After dominating the downhills, the 27-year-old from Burnsville, Minn., is considered the woman to beat in Sunday's super-G.
"In another world," reigning overall World Cup champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch said of Vonn. "There's definitely nobody that can keep up with her at the moment in the downhills."
"She's in her own league right now," added world downhill champion Elisabeth Goergl of Austria, who finished third Saturday.
The last woman to sweep three races at Lake Louise was Katja Seizinger of Germany in 1997.
"A sweep is very difficult to do," Vonn cautioned. "I have to see what the course is like, but the snow conditions are fantastic. I just have to try to go out and do the same thing I did yesterday and today, which is ski aggressively, execute the line and try not to make any mistakes."
Vonn won last year's super-G at Lake Louise after finishing second in both downhills to Hoefl-Riesch. Vonn won both downhills in 2009, but Goergl took the super-G.
Vonn has stood on the podium 16 times at Lake Louise since her first career World Cup win in 2004.
Canadian developmental team skiers Tess Davies of Canmore, Alta., and Sarah, Freeman of Canmore, Alta., were 50th and 51st in a field of 59 skiers.
Canada will have more athletes competing Sunday with Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., Madison McLeish of Canmore, Alta., Julia Roth of Waterloo, Ont., and Sarah Elliot of Oyama, B.C., joining the field.
Eight women did not complete the course Saturday. Several more struggled with the section called Fallaway, where they skied off course and either lost time or missed a gate.
"I think a lot of girls had trouble with the flat light," Vonn said. "It was just really hard to see the terrain. All things considered, it was a great run. I'm just really happy to have another win here in Lake Louise."
Laurenne Ross of U.S. crashed hard and was taken to hospital with facial lacerations.
Vonn won the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, last month, and has a firm grip on the overall World Cup lead early this season.
"It's only the fifth or sixth race of the season, but so far it's definitely gone a lot better than last year," she said. "Soelden was obviously a great start for me, the first GS victory of my career.
"To come in here and Lake Louise and have back-to-back wins was great for my self-confidence. I hope I can keep the momentum going tomorrow and throughout the rest of the season."