Vonn's bronze puts US skiers in seventh heaven

Olympic cover-girl Lindsey Vonn boosted the United States' dominance of the alpine events by winning bronze, the team's seventh from five events, in the women's super-G on Saturday.

Vonn was everyone's favourite in the event which combines some of the technical challenges of the slalom with the speed of the downhill.

But the recently-crowned downhill champion had to settle for third after being upstaged by Andrea Fischbacher of Austria and Slovenian Tina Maze.

While Fischbacher's win eased the huge pressure on underfiring alpine giants Austria, Vonn helped stretch the USA's alpine medals haul to seven from only five events.

Bode Miller won bronze in the downhill and followed up with silver in the men's super-G, in which teammate Andrew Weibrecht won bronze in his first Olympic Games.

Julia Mancuso scored an upset by finishing second in the downhill behind Vonn, and carried that momentum into the super-combined where she took silver behind Germany's Maria Riesch.

Vonn echoed Miller's thoughts when she said the US medal winners' success was having a huge impact on the confidence of the US ski team.

With 14 of the 30 medals, Austria dominated the alpine events at the Turin Games.

But with five events -- the men's super-combined, and the men's and women's giant slalom and slalom -- still to come, Vonn believes they can win more.

"We're all getting inspired by each other. When you see one of your teammates getting success, you want it more," said Vonn, who is hoping to see Miller perform well in Sunday's super-combined when teammate Ted Ligety defends his crown.

"It was amazing to see Bode and Weibrecht win those medals in the men's super-G yesterday and I'm really looking forward to see Ted defend his supercombined," she said.

"I think Bode can do something in the super-combined, and in the GS (giant slalom)."

Miller, a strong slalomer who is now more known for his skill in the speed events, said on Friday: "There's nothing I want to do more than win a slalom again."

Vonn, too, would like to believe that she has a chance in the women's giant.

"I've had a few sparkles and glimmers in GS as well, so Im hopeful in that too," she said, admitting, however, she was already happy with her Games.

"I came here hoping to get one medal and won the downhill gold. Getting this medal is the icing on the cake.

"Any medal at the Olympics is already a success, and you have to be really proud of it."