The victory also marks Vonn's 10th World Cup win this year to set a new American single season record. It also ties her with Bode Miller with 32 career World Cup victories, the most of any American.

"I'm really happy with the whole season and it's nice to come back to the World Cup and end the season strong," Vonn said.

In her first World Cup race back from the 2010 Olympics where she took the gold in downhill and bronze in super G, Vonn marked off her third discipline title with the win.

"It's been a great season and I'm really happy with everything that's happened," Vonn said.

The downhill title did not come without a fight not only against a talented field of racers, but also the conditions presented by Mother Nature this weekend.

"It was a tough race out there today. There was a lot of changing weather conditions. Sometimes there would be a headwind, sometimes a tailwind, it was snowing really hard and there was a lot of new snow n the track. It was changing a lot from racer to racer," Vonn said.

According to the Olympic champ, the variable conditions made it difficult to know how she was doing during her race. It wasn't until she crossed the finish line that she saw where her skiing had landed her - in first.

But as the falling snow turned light, a bevy of talented young racers took full advantage of the conditions to attack from the later starting bibs. In the top five, only Vonn started inside the top 30 racers. Italy's Johanna Schnarf rocketed from bib 32 to second, missing the win by .01, while third place went to former Junior World Champion Marianne Abderhalden of Switzerland from bib 35. Slovenian Merusa Ferk landed 4th from the 42nd start postion followed by Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany from No. 37.

With another title waiting on the line for Vonn, who currently sits at the top of the overall World Cup standings, she hopes to be able to keep carrying her momentum through the end of the season.

"I'm going to keep things going through to finals and hopefully I can stay in the lead in the overall," Vonn said.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Crans Montana, Switzerland - March 6, 2010

1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:35.26

2. Johanna Schnarf, Italy, 1:35.27

3. Marianne Abderhalden, Switzerland, 1:35.64