Lindsey Vonn wants to challenge the men's downhill skiers in a World Cup race next month, though her wish still needs the support of the United States team and Alpine skiing's governing body.

The United States ski federation said Monday that it has not yet had a "formal discussion" about the possibility of its star racer challenging the men on November 24 at Lake Louise in Canada.

Vonn, the women's Olympic downhill champion, has written the International Ski Federation to ask whether she can make the historic start at a venue where she has earned nine of her 26 World Cup downhill victories.

The Canadian course - often dubbed "Lake Lindsey" for her dominance there - stages women's races, including two downhills, the following weekend.

FIS, however, can't make a decision on Vonn until the US ski team makes a formal request to let her enter.

"We clearly have great respect for Lindsey, her accomplishments in the sport and her desire to seek this new challenge," Tom Kelly, vice president of communications for the USSA, said in a statement. "But we have not had any formal discussion yet between Lindsey and FIS."

Team obligations to broadcaster NBC are a likely factor after it committed to starting live coverage of World Cup races on its NBC Sports Network cable channel this season.

When the men are racing Nov. 24-25 in Lake Louise, the women's World Cup circuit makes its one scheduled stop in the United States, with giant slalom and slalom races scheduled on a holiday weekend program at Aspen, Colorado.

Vonn may be unwilling to jeopardise losing race points which have been the foundation of her four overall World Cup titles and five straight downhill season trophies.