The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy. (The team event scheduled for the following day was canceled, due to adverse weather conditions.)
The overall champions were Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn, both of the United States. It was Miller's second overall title and Vonn's first, and the first for an American woman in a quarter century. The last was Tamara McKinney in 1983, which was also the last U.S. sweep as Phil Mahre won his third consecutive overall title.
Miller won the 2008 title by a margin of 111 points over runner-up Benjamin Raich of Austria, while Vonn outpaced her closest rival, Austrian Nicole Hosp, by 220 points. Austria won the Nations Cup for the 20th consecutive season, scoring more than double the points of runner-up Switzerland.
Famous quotes containing the words alpine, world and/or cup:
“Reason now gazes above the realm of the dark but warm feelings as the Alpine peaks do above the clouds. They behold the sun more clearly and distinctly, but they are cold and unfruitful.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“There is a strange and mighty race of people called the Americans who are rapidly becoming the coldest in the world because of this cruel, maneating idol, lucre.”
—Edward Dahlberg (1900–1977)
“There is not enough exercise in this way of life. I try to make up by active gymnastics before I dress when I get up, by walking rapidly in the lower hall and the greenhouse after each meal for perhaps five to ten minutes, and a good hand rubbing before going to bed. I eat moderately; drink one cup of coffee at breakfast and one cup of tea at lunch and no other stimulant. My health is now, and usually, excellent.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)