Levi, Finland - Lindsey Vonn of the United States clinched her maiden World Cup slalom in the first women's slalom of the alpine ski World Cup season in the Finnish resort of Levi on Saturday.

Vonn, last season's overall winner and downhill champion, almost crashed out on the second leg but recovered to finish 0.40 seconds ahead of Maria Pietilae-Holmer of Sweden.

It was the 14th World Cup win for 24-year-old Vonn but the first in the slalom discipline for the downhill specialist.

Last season's slalom champion Maria Riesch of Germany edged Austria's Nicole Hosp for third place.

Vonn, who had led from the first run, looked to be on her way to a smooth victory, but then almost missed a gate half-way down the second leg and appeared to have lost too much time to stay in front.

She was clearly amazed herself when she still crossed the line 0.40 seconds up on Pietila-Holmer with a combined time of 1 minute 47.98 seconds.

"I only thought hopefully I can get third place but I really didn't expect to be on the podium," she said.

"It is incredible. I never in my life thought I could win here today." (dpa)