REUTERS - Lindsey Vonn capped an impressive season by retaining the overall World Cup title with victory in the final downhill on Wednesday.

In the Swedish fog, the 24-year-old American bagged her eighth World Cup race of the season and the of her career in one minute and 42.49 seconds.

Her friend and title rival Maria Riesch of Germany did not bow out without a fight, taking second place, 0.40 seconds behind for her best result in a downhill this season.

Third place went to veteran Austrian Renate Goetschl, who made it on to the 60th downhill podium of her 16 year-career, 1.26 behind Vonn.

Vonn leads the overall standings by 389 points from Riesch with three events -- and a maximum of 300 points -- to go to the end of the season.

She added the overall title to the downhill crystal globe and two gold medals at last month's world championships.
Vonn also became the most successful American female skier beating Tamara McKinney's record of 18 World Cup victories.

This winter, the American displayed a wider range to her talents winning two slaloms, a discipline in which she had struggled in the past.

In downhills, she was her usual impressive self, winning two and finishing on the podium in six of the seven races held in skiing's showcase discipline.

Even a freak injury at the world championships, when Vonn cut her thumb opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate her downhill title, could not stop her from crushing the opposition.

Riesch earned the consolation of winning the slalom world title in Val d'Isere and the slalom World Cup.