Vonn to skip World Cup slalom in Finland

Lindsey Vonn will skip the first alpine World Cup slalom of the season to prepare for races in Aspen, the US Ski Federation said Wednesday. In a release from Levi, where a women's World Cup slalom race is scheduled for Saturday, the federation said Olympic gold medallists Vonn and Julia Mancuso would miss the event in order to focus on the giant slalom and slalom set for Aspen, Colorado, on November 24-25. Vonn, who has won four of the past five women's downhill season crowns, had hoped to compete against the men at Lake Louise, Canada, on November 24. However, that request was turned down by the International Ski Federation on Saturday. Bode Miller and Resi Stiegler will also sit out a men's slalom on Sunday in Levi as they continue to recover from injury.