Lindsey Vonn treated for back injury after World Cup super-G

Lindsey Vonn finished a World Cup super-G in extreme pain and was treated by race doctors for a back injury on Saturday in St Moritz, Switzerland.

The American star crossed the finish line in obvious distress, almost one second behind the then-leader, and slumped to the snow.

Vonn's tentative run after jarring her back early on placed her 24th, trailing 1.56 seconds behind the surprise winner, Jasmine Flury of Switzerland. The race was shortened due to strong winds higher up the mountain.

Val Grenier was the top Canadian, finishing 39th.

Vonn stayed in the finish house to be treated, and one hour later limped slowly into a waiting car to be driven from the St. Moritz course.

Minutes earlier, her father Alan Kildow told The Associated Press his daughter was "OK."

Vonn's name remained on the Sunday start list with bib No. 14 for another super-G scheduled in the morning.

Saturday's race was interrupted several times by gusts lifting flurries of snow, and Vonn was left standing at the gate as the No. 4 starter during the first delay of about three minutes. She stayed warm with a thick jacket draped on her shoulders.

Vonn did not speak with media or fans before getting into the car, and wore the hood of a United States team jacket up to shield her face from television cameras tracking her. 

Before leaving, Vonn stopped to congratulate Flury standing in the leader's box.

Flury, who is ranked in the Swiss Alpine team's third-tier category, had a career-best finish of fifth in World Cup races before Saturday.

Starting No. 14, Flury raced down in bright sunshine and little wind to be 0.10 seconds faster than teammate Michelle Gisin, who wore start bib No. 12.

"I really had great conditions. Other athletes they had not lots of sun like I had," Flury told the AP. "The snow conditions were so good, you just have to go, go, go."

Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was third, 0.16 behind Flury, and leads the discipline standings after two races. Weirather won the super-G last Sunday at Lake Louise, Canada, where Flury was seventh.

Overall standings leader Mikaela Shiffrin placed 20th, 1.37 back. The American defending champion had her lead cut to 145 points by Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany, who placed sixth.