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For the U.S. women's Alpine team, the 2006 Torino Games started out on a low note, and ended on a high one. Leading medal candidate, Lindsey Vonn (then racing under her maiden name, Kildow), suffered injuries in a downhill training crash, and labored in all five events. In the final event, Julia Mancuso rocketed to an unexpected gold medal - the first for the U.S. women in eight years -- in the giant slalom. After the Games, Vonn was also awarded the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award in a vote by U.S. fans, teammates and the media, for her perseverance and determination to compete.
Downhill (February 15, 2006)
One month shy of her 33rd birthday, Austrian veteran Michaela Dorfmeister collected the first Olympic gold medal of her career when she won the women's downhill in San Sicario Fraiteve. The runner-up to Picabo Street in the 1998 Olympic super-G won in a time of 1:56.49. Swiss skier Martina Schild finished second, 0.37 seconds behind Dorfmeister, while Sweden's Anja Paerson finished 0.64 seconds back and won her first of three medals at the Torino Games.
The most inspiring story in most Americans' eyes was the participation of Lindsey Vonn, who crashed during a training run two days earlier and wound up in the hospital. After finishing tied for eighth, she admitted that her doctor had been reluctant to let her race, but that she had been encouraged by her close friend and idol, Street. Julia Mancuso finished one place ahead of Vonn, in seventh, while Stacey Cook placed 19th and Kirsten Clark placed 21st.
Combined (February 17 & 18, 2006)
Despite battling the flu, Croatia's Janica Kostelic won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the combined event. Competing only days after her older brother, Ivica Kostelic, won a silver medal in the men's combined, Kostelic had the fastest time in the downhill and the second-fastest time in the slalom to capture the fourth Olympic gold medal of her career. Austria's Marlies Schild won the silver, 0.50 seconds behind Kostelic, and Sweden's Anja Paerson took the bronze, 0.55 seconds back.
The top American was Julia Mancuso, in 9th place. The other U.S. finishers were Kaylin Richardson (18th) and Resi Stiegler (20th). Lindsey Vonn failed to finish the second slalom run.
Super-G (February 20, 2006)
A day after a snowstorm dumped a foot of snow on San Sicario Fraiteve, Austria's Michaela Dorfmeister collected her second gold medal of the Games when she won the women's super-G in 1:32.47. In doing so, she broke her own Olympic record as the oldest female gold medalist in Alpine skiing (32 years, 332 days). Croatia's Janica Kostelic finished 0.27 seconds back for the silver medal, the sixth and final Olympic medal of her illustrious career. Dorfmeister's teammate, Alexandra Meissnitzer, won the bronze, 0.59 seconds back.
Lindsey Vonn was the top U.S. finisher, in seventh place, only 0.36 seconds from the medal podium. The other American racers, Julia Mancuso (11th), Kirsten Clark (14th) and Libby Ludlow (28th), all finished outside of the top-ten.
Julia Manucso puts together two solid runs to win the gold medal in giant slalom at Sestriere.
Photos from the women's Alpine skiing competition at the 2006 Torino Games.
Slalom (February 22, 2006)
Sweden's Anja Paerson put an end to her Olympic gold medal wait, winning the women's slalom at Sestriere Colle. Paerson posted the fastest time in the first run and the second-fastest time in the second run. Her father and coach, Anders, reported after the race, "I saw her eyes when she came down. She was in a tunnel. She didn't hear and see, just the gates." Austria's Nicole Hosp won the silver medal, 0.29 seconds behind Paerson, while her teammate Marlies Schild won the bronze, 0.75 seconds back. Croatia's Janica Kostelic finished fourth, the first time since 1998 that she competed in an Olympic race and did not win a medal.
Sarah Schleper was the top American finisher in 10th place, followed by Resi Stiegler (12th) and Lindsey Vonn (14th). Kristina Koznick did not start the second run.
Giant slalom (February 24, 2006)
Julia Mancuso became the second, unheralded, 21-year-old American - after combined champion Ted Ligety -- to capture a gold medal in Alpine skiing at the Torino Games, when she won the giant slalom at Sestriere Colle. After overcoming driving snow and poor visibility in both runs, she said, "I can't believe it. I was freaking out at the start because the course was tough." When she was awarded her gold medal in Torino's Piazza Costello that evening, the Squaw Valley, California skier donned a tiara that had been given to her as a gift by a childhood coach. Joining Mancuso on the podium were Finland's Tanja Poutiainen, 0.67 behind Mancuso, and Sweden's Anna Ottosson, 1.14 back.
Stacey Cook was the only other American to finish both runs, placing 23rd. Sarah Schleper did not finish the second run.
Compiled by NBC Olympics
