Alpine skiing-Slovenia's Stuhec wins women's downhill gold

ST MORITZ, Switzerland, Feb 12 ( Reuters) - Slovenia's Ilka Stuhec blasted to victory in the women's downhill at the Alpine Skiing world championships on Sunday as American Lindsey Vonn had to settle for third.

Stuhec, 26, claimed her first medal from a world championships or Olympics, with a faultless run down the icy course at speeds topping out at 125 km per hour.

Austria's Stephanie Venier took the silver medal, 0.40 seconds slower, with 2010 Olympic downhill champion Vonn 0.45 seconds off the Slovenia's pace.

The 32-year-old Vonn, in the middle of another comeback after breaking her right arm last year, took her tally of world championship medals to seven.

Vonn has had only five World Cup events back since the injury that left her without full use of her right arm but still managed a 77th World Cup win at Garmisch last month.

Italy's Sofia Goggia missed a medal, possibly gold, after several errors on the lower section cost her time.

Goggia was flying but crossed here skis and was lucky to avoid a high-speed crash. She finished fourth. (Writing by Martyn Herman; Editing by John O'Brien)