Vonn confidence building after Levi podium

LEVI, Finland (AFP) - US star Lindsey Vonn said her confidence was building nicely after taking second place behind Germany's Maria Riesch in the women's World Cup slalom at Levi on Saturday.

The overall World Cup champion has much to live up to this campaign after last year's exploits but she is already looking sharp on this evidence.

"I am definitively very happy to be on the podium. My goal was trying to be on the top five," Vonn said.

"I think I had a very good first run. Maybe I could have pushed a little harder, but in the second run - that was also a good run - I made some small mistakes.

"Maria had a great run today. The snow was perfect, the course setting was perfect, the lights were on, I was so excited to run, not like in Sölden, where I was so nervous," said Vonn, in allusion to a disappointing ninth-place finish in Austria.

This season, she has changed her skis and pronounced herself "really happy" with the new ones.

Looking back to her successes of last season - she was crowned Super G, downhill and overall champion to add to titles in the overall and downhill in 2008 - Vonn said: "Last year gives me a lot of confidence. It is similar to last season. The beginning of the season takes off well and gets me confidence to go to Aspen.

"Aspen is always a difficult race, because it is a steep course, and it is my own country, where I have more pressure."

Vonn ended last season in third spot in the slalom standings behind Maria Riesch and Czech Sarka Zahrobska.