ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — Lindsey Vonn approached her first World Cup race after more than five years of retirement with caution. Having faced numerous crashes and injuries throughout her career, the 40-year-old Olympic champion took measures to safeguard herself, particularly with her new titanium knee.
In the super-G event on Saturday, Vonn finished 14th, clocking in 1.18 seconds behind the winner, Austria’s Cornelia Huetter. “This was the perfect start,” she remarked. “Today is just the first step, and I’m not looking for more. I needed to get to the finish, and I wanted a solid result, and that’s exactly what I achieved.”
Vonn expressed confidence in her potential for future races, mentioning, “There’s definitely a lot that I have left to give,” and pointed out that this was not the day to aim for anything exceptional. As she descended the course, the crowd withheld their cheers in anticipation, and even her fellow top competitors watched attentively on a beautiful day in the Alps.
Sophie Goldschmidt, the president and CEO of U.S. Ski and Snowboard, celebrated Vonn’s return, stating, “To have her back on the world stage is just fantastic. The attention she brings to the sport is immense.” She noted that such moments resonate beyond sports, relating it to the record-breaking feats of current star Mikaela Shiffrin.
During her run, Vonn lost speed early on but managed to keep pace with the leading skiers in the latter part of the course. Upon finishing, she beamed at her time and waved to the enthusiastic spectators. “I didn’t risk anything with my line. I was a bit conservative in sections, but I skied well overall. With a bit more speed in my top section, I’ll be in really good shape,” Vonn shared, indicating her intention to compete in another super-G event in St. Moritz on Sunday.
Her performance placed her less than a second off the podium, which featured Olympic champion Lara Gut-Behrami in second and Sofia Goggia in third. Vonn assessed her run, stating, “I’m really close to being there. I’m just not quite there yet.” Competing under a new wild card rule for former champions, she went last, after all the top-ranked skiers.
Vonn acknowledged that the course’s condition impacted her performance, prompting her to be more cautious. Despite the challenges presented by her prior injuries, she felt remarkably better after undergoing knee replacement surgery in April, where titanium components were implanted. “I’m now skiing without thinking about my knee, something I haven’t experienced since my first ACL tear in 2013. Even though I’m older, I’m stronger than I’ve ever been,” explained Vonn.
Eight-time overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher also returned this season under a similar wild card rule but recently announced that he has ended his comeback due to a torn ACL. Vonn’s record stood at 82 World Cup wins, a mark she set before it was surpassed by Shiffrin, who currently holds the record with 99 wins.
Shiffrin, alongside Vonn, shares the record for the most victories in St. Moritz, but she has been sidelined this weekend, recuperating from surgery after sustaining an injury during a crash.
Vonn is breaking new ground for women’s skiing by competing effectively later in her career. The record for the oldest woman to win a World Cup race was set by Federica Brignone at age 34. Jacquelin Wiles, Vonn’s teammate, remarked on her impressive comeback, noting her limited pre-season preparation and expressing confidence in Vonn’s return to prime speed.
Will Vonn push harder in her next race? “Step by step,” she responded. “Patience.”