U.S. speed plan comes together with duo

WHISTLER (Reuters) - In Salt Lake City eight years ago, the United States did not have a top 10 skier in the women's Olympic downhill but on Wednesday they became the undisputed specialists of speed as they claimed gold and silver.

Lindsey Vonn, as expected, won gold and her team mate Julia Mancuso took a surprise silver, re-finding, with perfect timing, the form that had made her one of the most exciting talents in the sport a few years ago and a slalom gold medalist in 2006.

The pair had long been seen as future champions and their arrival at the pinnacle of the sport is testimony to the planned progress they have enjoyed in the U.S. ski system.

"They were identified at a young age as talented racers, at ages 12 or 13 it was known that they were going to be strong racers and all through their careers they were at the same races," said U.S. Ski's Tom Kelly, who has witnessed the rise of Vonn and Mancuso at close hand.

"They have come up through the same system, they have different personalities and from different parts of the country but they have been competing against each other for so many years," he said.

'EXTREMELY REWARDING'

After impressing at junior level and in early World Cup appearances the pair made their breakthrough in the 2005 world championships in Bormio, Italy where Mancuso won two bronze medals and Vonn, then known by her maiden name of Kildow, twice finished fourth.

The duo have had their ups and downs since but with Vonn without doubt the best downhiller in the world and Mancuso showing she can be blistering on her day, U.S. coaches were purring in satisfaction.

"It's extremely rewarding -- they came through a great development system when they were just young kids and this is the icing on the cake," said U.S. women's team head coach Jim Tracy.

"We know who is fast and who is not even at younger ages and it is just a matter of them gaining experience and skills and going through the ranks and obviously they have done that," he added.

For all the talk of a system, though, developing champions is not an exact science.

"You need a good program, a little luck and no injuries," said Austria head coach Hans Pum.

"It's not easy, you can't plan it exactly. It's always a challenge."

One that, so far, in these Games, the U.S. are meeting.

(Editing by Jon Bramley)