Lindsey Vonn happy with ‘solid’ return to downhill racing
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Lindsey Vonn during training for the Women's Downhill event of the 2019 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – Former Olympic and world champion Lindsey Vonn began her “solid” World Cup comeback trail at the age of 40, completing her first downhill race in almost six years on Dec 7.
Vonn, one of the greatest World Cup skiers of all time and best known for speed events like downhill and super-G, left the sport in 2019 after a series of major injuries. But she has been free of pain since partial knee replacement surgery in April.
Vonn took part in the FIS Fall Festival, a second-tier event, at Copper Mountain in Colorado and went down twice in the downhill sessions on Dec 7.
The American finished 24th in a field of 45, 1.44 seconds behind Austrian winner Mirjam Puchner in her first race.
In her second race she finished 27th, 1.53sec behind winner Cornelia Hutter of Austria, who is the defending World Cup downhill champion.
Vonn has said she was using the weekend’s event, which features several other races, as a “training opportunity” as she looks to re-enter the World Cup circuit.
“Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” she wrote on X.
“While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree.
“This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.
“This is only the beginning and the way I’m skiing is more important than the times at this point.
“Now I have the FIS points to race World Cup so that’s a successful day!
“Thanks to everyone who helped put on the races! Let’s do it again tomorrow.”
There were two super-G races on the programme for Dec 8 at Copper Mountain – the results were not available at press time.
It was a low-key event, but there was a small crowd who gathered to watch her return and a smattering of applause for her at the finish area.
FIS, the international ski federation, said Vonn had requested a wildcard entry to compete in two super-G races at St Moritz on Dec 21 and 22, taking advantage of a new invitation system that allows former stars to return to the elite circuit after years away from competition and to have better starting positions.
Vonn was the most decorated women’s skier with 82 World Cup victories when she retired. Her mark has since been eclipsed by fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin’s 99.
She recorded her first World Cup victory in 2004 and won three Olympic medals – including downhill gold in 2010 in Vancouver.
The American also won 20 World Cup titles, four overall crystal globes, eight world championship medals and secured 137 World Cup podiums.
The next Winter Olympics take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2026. AFP
