Vonn successes pile up cash mountain

Lindsey Vonn´s eight race successes this season have propelled her to the top of the skiing world´s earnings rankings.

US World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn's eight race successes this season have propelled her to the top of the skiing world's earnings rankings, the International SKi Federation (FIS) said Thursday.

To date, with around a third of the season to go, Vonn has earned 221,300 euros, according to the FIS, outstripping men's top earner Didier Cuche of Switzerland, who has made 192,733 euros.

Vonn did extra well by winning two races last week at Kitzbuehel, which offers the largest bonuses on the World Cup circuit.

Cuche says he will be donating 20 percent of his own Kitzbuehel bonuses, that is, some 20,000 euros, to the Haiti earthquake appeal.

Despite leading the men's overall rankings Austrian Benjamin Raich stands only third in the men's money stakes with 125,550 euros behind second-ranked Swiss star Carlo Janka (157,324 euros).

Maria Riesch is second in the women's earnings table behind Vonn with 167,633 euros.