LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland (Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn's hopes of a fourth successive overall World Cup title were left at the mercy of the weather after she lost the lead to Maria Riesch on Friday with one race to go.
Germany's Riesch enjoys a three-point lead, a miniscule margin in a contest where 100 are awarded for a win, effectively meaning the title will go to whoever does better in Saturday's giant slalom.
Vonn's big worry, however, is that the race will not take place at all after a week which has seen three races called off due to the unhappy combination of mist, rain and warm weather.
Due to logistical problems, World Cup races are not rescheduled if they are called off by the weather, a rule introduced in 1998 by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
If the last race of the season is affected, the trophy goes to whoever is leading the standings at the time.
"If there's no race tomorrow, it will be a catastrophe," American Vonn told reporters. "I would be very, very disappointed.
"This isn't easy for me now as it's out of my hands and there's nothing I can do about it."
"It would be really bad luck and I cannot imagine this happening."
Didier Cuche and Ted Ligety have already won titles this week without leaving their hotel rooms.
Swiss Cuche took the men's super-G World Cup when Thursday's race was also canceled first thing in the morning and American Ligety won his third giant slalom title on Friday in similar circumstances.
Vonn's hopes also suffered a blow when the women's super-G race, one of her strongest disciplines, was called off on Thursday.
"It was unfair because that has been my best event this year," said Vonn, who has won four of this year's six super-G World Cup races as well as the crystal globe in the discipline.
Vonn suggested that the FIS should allow races to be rescheduled in the final week of the season and build more flexibility into the schedule.
"In think in the final week, races should not be canceled. It would be fairer on the all the athletes.
"Perhaps they could have a day for downhill training or something to allow more time," she said.
"I don't see why we can't have the super-G on Saturday and giant slalom on Sunday.
"The finals are the most important week of the season and if there are four races scheduled, you count on having four races."
It would be an unhappy end to an era which has seen Vonn dominate women's skiing and move within reach of Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of five successive World Cup titles.
The 26-year-old Olympic downhill champion has amassed 41 wins in World Cup races and world championship gold medals in downhill and Super G.
She has won the World Cup downhill for the last four seasons, the super-G title twice and the combined title twice. At one stage, she won six downhill races in 2009/10.
Nor does she intend to stop there. "I'm always looking at ways I can get better," he said.
Germany's Riesch enjoys a three-point lead, a miniscule margin in a contest where 100 are awarded for a win, effectively meaning the title will go to whoever does better in Saturday's giant slalom.
Vonn's big worry, however, is that the race will not take place at all after a week which has seen three races called off due to the unhappy combination of mist, rain and warm weather.
Due to logistical problems, World Cup races are not rescheduled if they are called off by the weather, a rule introduced in 1998 by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
If the last race of the season is affected, the trophy goes to whoever is leading the standings at the time.
"If there's no race tomorrow, it will be a catastrophe," American Vonn told reporters. "I would be very, very disappointed.
"This isn't easy for me now as it's out of my hands and there's nothing I can do about it."
"It would be really bad luck and I cannot imagine this happening."
Didier Cuche and Ted Ligety have already won titles this week without leaving their hotel rooms.
Swiss Cuche took the men's super-G World Cup when Thursday's race was also canceled first thing in the morning and American Ligety won his third giant slalom title on Friday in similar circumstances.
Vonn's hopes also suffered a blow when the women's super-G race, one of her strongest disciplines, was called off on Thursday.
"It was unfair because that has been my best event this year," said Vonn, who has won four of this year's six super-G World Cup races as well as the crystal globe in the discipline.
Vonn suggested that the FIS should allow races to be rescheduled in the final week of the season and build more flexibility into the schedule.
"In think in the final week, races should not be canceled. It would be fairer on the all the athletes.
"Perhaps they could have a day for downhill training or something to allow more time," she said.
"I don't see why we can't have the super-G on Saturday and giant slalom on Sunday.
"The finals are the most important week of the season and if there are four races scheduled, you count on having four races."
It would be an unhappy end to an era which has seen Vonn dominate women's skiing and move within reach of Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of five successive World Cup titles.
The 26-year-old Olympic downhill champion has amassed 41 wins in World Cup races and world championship gold medals in downhill and Super G.
She has won the World Cup downhill for the last four seasons, the super-G title twice and the combined title twice. At one stage, she won six downhill races in 2009/10.
Nor does she intend to stop there. "I'm always looking at ways I can get better," he said.
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