GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany, Feb 4 AFP – American ski queen Lindsey Vonn pulled off a superb fight-back on the Kandahar course in Germany to claim her 50th World Cup career victory in Saturday’s downhill race.

The 27-year-old Olympic champion recovered after a slow start and was the fastest down the course in a time of 1min 44.86sec with Switzerland’s Nadja Kamer second at 0.41sec, with Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather claiming third at 0.79sec.

Kamer, who was third down the course, was the early pace-setter, but Vonn produced an impressive race to better the Swiss’ time to claim her half century of World Cup race victories.

Victory also extended Vonn’s runaway lead at the top of the World Cup standings over second-placed Tina Maze of Slovenia.

The American made a slow start down the Kandahar piste and at one point was 0.62sec behind Kamer’s time, a slight slip looking to have cost her even more.

But the Olympic downhill champion saved her best for last with a sensational display on the bottom half of the course to take the perfect line and glide into first place.

“I am really pleased,” beamed Vonn.

“I made a mistake on the top part and nearly slipped, but I skied well.”

Liechtenstein’s Weirather skied herself into contention with an impressive display and was just off Vonn’s time throughout her run.

Last season’s overall World Cup winner Maria Hoefl-Riesch, skiing down her home course, bettered Vonn’s time at the start of the course, but the German ended up in fourth place 0.99sec behind Vonn.

The race was run in unusually cold conditions with minus 25 degree celsius recorded at the start and 22 at the finish.