COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colorado — Lindsey Vonn made her return to competitive skiing on Saturday, finishing 24th in a lower-tier FIS downhill event after nearly six years away from the sport. The 40-year-old skier is embarking on a comeback following a retirement marked by numerous injuries. Vonn’s time was 1.44 seconds slower than the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds, achieved by Austria’s Mirjam Puchner. A total of 43 competitors took to the slopes on a cool and mostly sunny day.
After crossing the finish line, Vonn took a moment to regain her breath before engaging with fans, signing autographs, and posing for photos. She then made her way back up the mountain via the ski lift. Another downhill race was slated for later that day, alongside two super-G events scheduled for Sunday. Vonn’s participation in this series of FIS races is aimed at improving her rankings to qualify for World Cup events this season.
Upon her initial retirement, Vonn boasted a record of 82 World Cup wins for women, which was within reach of the overall record of 86 held by Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark. However, her record for women was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who has since celebrated 99 victories, surpassing all other Alpine ski racers in history.
Currently, Shiffrin finds herself sidelined after a crash during a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. The next World Cup races for female skiers are set to occur in a week at Beaver Creek, Colorado. Vonn has not specified a timeline for her anticipated return to the World Cup series.
Vonn’s last significant appearance came in February 2019, when she managed a third-place finish in a downhill race at the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist exited the circuit while still performing at a high level, but a series of injuries—including broken legs, concussions, and torn ligaments—eventually led her to retire from competitive skiing. She underwent a partial knee replacement last April and now feels prepared to make a return.
The field for Saturday’s race featured several notable competitors, including Swiss skier Michelle Gisin, as well as Italy’s Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino, along with Cornelia Huetter from Austria. The lineup also included Sarah Schleper, a 45-year-old racer who previously represented the United States but now competes for Mexico.
