Alpine Skiing Legend Lindsey Vonn Returns to Competition in Colorado

Three-time Olympic skiing medallist Lindsey Vonn returned to competitive racing on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colorado, after an absence of nearly six years. Vonn, who retired in 2019 as the most decorated woman in alpine skiing, has since been surpassed by her compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin in that regard. The 40-year-old Vonn participated in two downhill races at the FIS Fall Festival, securing 24th place among 45 skiers in her first race and 27th in her second. Her retirement in February 2019 was followed by an announcement last month that she would return to the sport, a decision made after undergoing successful knee surgery in April. On social media, Vonn commented on her performance, stating, “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my team-mates again.” She further added, “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.” Vonn concluded her remarks by saying, “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.” In the initial race, Vonn’s time was 1.44 seconds slower than the winner, Mirjam Puchner of Austria. For the second race, she finished 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter, Puchner’s compatriot. Vonn’s illustrious career began with her World Cup debut at age 16 in 2000. She accumulated 20 World Cup titles, which include four overall Crystal Globes, along with eight World Championship medals. Her record also features 137 World Cup podium finishes and 82 World Cup victories. Her Olympic achievements include a downhill gold medal and a Super-G bronze at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, followed by another downhill bronze in Pyeongchang in 2018.