Vonn and Fischbacher downhill winners in Bansko

American Lindsey Vonn secured the women's World Cup downhill title for the second year running on Saturday despite a modest 12th place finish in the Bansko downhill behind Austrian winner Andrea Fischbacher.

After the ninth place finish of her closest downhill rival, Switzerland's Dominique Gisin, Vonn is now assured of holding on to the coveted speed trophy she won last year when she also won the overall World Cup.

Super-G specialist Fischbacher clocked a winning time of 1min 45.81sec to claim her maiden downhill victory, her second overall from the series following a super-G win in February 2008.

Slovenia's Tina Maze and Fabienne Suter, the Swiss who claimed her maiden downhill win by beating Fischbacher into second here on Friday, finished 0.26sec and 0.39 behind respectively in second and third place.

Fischbacher applauded the "much better" conditions - compared to Friday - that had given her the impetus to hit the slope fast.

But she admitted her recent super-G bronze at the world championships in Val d'Isere had given her the biggest boost.

"My medal at the worlds gave me back my confidence," said Fischbacher.

"I was determined to ski the course fast, and I tried to maintain that speed coming out of the bends.

"When you win a downhill, it's like you've moved up a level. It's been a great weekend so far. Now there's the super-G (Sunday), which is my favourite discipline. It would be great to have three podiums in as many days."

The resort of Bansko was called to host Friday's downhill after Saint Moritz in Switzerland was cancelled in December.

And for the second day running, the racers more specialised in super-G dominated the Banderitsa course.

Fischbacher, eighth in the super-G standings, had finished runner-up to Suter on Friday when the Swiss, second in the super-G race, claimed her maiden downhill win.

Super-G leader Nadia Fanchini of Italy had finished third on Friday tied with Vonn, who is third in the super-G standings.

Vonn recently secured two world titles, in the super-G and downhill, at the world championships in Val d'Isere, France.