Lindsey Vonn marked her return to ski racing by finishing 24th in the first of two lower-level super-G races on Sunday, as she continues to refine her equipment and technique at the age of 40.
Vonn’s time was 2.19 seconds behind her teammate Lauren Macuga, who led the race with a winning time of 1 minute and 11.90 seconds. A total of 31 competitors navigated the course on a notably cold morning.
After crossing the finish line, Vonn took a moment to catch her breath before engaging with her team ahead of her next super-G race later that same day.
On Saturday, Vonn participated in two downhill races, where she finished in the middle of the pack during her first competitive outings in nearly six years. The events featured a strong field, including several prominent names from the ski racing world. Following the races, Vonn shared on social media that she earned enough points to potentially qualify for a World Cup event.
The women’s World Cup circuit is set to take place next weekend at Beaver Creek, featuring both downhill and super-G disciplines. However, Vonn has yet to publicly discuss a specific timeline regarding her return to World Cup competition.
Vonn’s last significant race occurred in February 2019 when she secured third place in a downhill event during the world championships held in Sweden. Although she departed from the tour while still skiing at a high level, a series of injuries, including significant issues with her knee, ultimately led to her retirement.
Following a partial knee replacement last April, Vonn felt rejuvenated and eager to make another attempt at competitive racing.
At the time of her retirement, Vonn had amassed 82 World Cup victories, making her the female record holder, while closely pursuing the overall Alpine record of 86 wins, held by legendary Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark. In January 2023, Mikaela Shiffrin surpassed Vonn’s women’s record, currently boasting 99 victories — the highest in Alpine skiing history.
Meanwhile, Shiffrin is recuperating from a crash that occurred during a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, the previous weekend. She suffered muscle trauma and an abdominal puncture but thankfully avoided ligament damage. Shiffrin recently shared a video on Instagram, where she could be seen carefully walking in Edwards, Colorado, while using what she referred to as a “wound vacuum.”
“Things are progressing,” Shiffrin noted in her video update.
Consequently, she will not be participating in the races at Beaver Creek.