ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — Feeling the pressure of her return to the World Cup circuit after nearly six years, Lindsey Vonn faced a challenging course this weekend. Despite a rocky start, she managed to navigate just a few gates to revive her confidence, ultimately finishing in 14th place in the super-G event.
At 40 years old, Vonn struggled initially but quickly became competitive with the top racers as she continued down the hill. “It took her 20 seconds to get back into it, and then she was fine,” remarked Chris Knight, Vonn’s coach, as he recounted Saturday’s race experience.
Due to her long absence from racing, the American skier needed to utilize the new wild card rule intended for past champions, allowing her to start at position No. 31. However, this meant she faced a bumpier course, having to navigate after the elite skiers had already created tracks. Knight emphasized the challenge of competing under these conditions, saying, “If we can get around those other girls on the same track in the same conditions then you really know what’s going on.”
Despite the adversities, Vonn was the only competitor to finish in the top 15 with a bib number greater than 20, marking a significant achievement in her career as one of the most successful women in World Cup history. “You could hear a pin drop when she was in the gate ready to go,” Knight noted, highlighting the anticipation surrounding her return.
Unfortunately, Vonn lost an opportunity to improve her standings when her second race of comeback, also a super-G event, was canceled due to unfavorable weather conditions in St. Moritz. Knight expressed their goals for the season, stating, “She’d like to be in the top 15 later in the season … we’re aiming for the next races is to accumulate points and get a better start number around the girls who are competitive.”
Viktoria Rebensburg, the former Olympic gold medalist in giant slalom and retired for almost five years, commented on Vonn’s unique comeback. She believes that what Vonn is doing is something only she would be capable of, despite being younger than Vonn herself. “I cannot imagine for myself to come back and to really push myself and go to the limit again,” Rebensburg expressed. “That’s something probably just Lindsey is able to do.”
Rebensburg credited Vonn’s rigorous training over the past months as a key factor in her performance. She praised Vonn’s innate skills, saying, “She has this special feeling for the long turns, for the speed in general. And she will not lose that.” Furthermore, she pointed out that many European athletes typically wouldn’t even consider racing at the age of 40, appreciating the American perspective that endorses the belief that “nothing is impossible.”
Looking ahead, Vonn will not compete again until the speed weekend at St. Anton, Austria, in early January, where she will take part in both downhill and super-G events. Following St. Anton, she aims to race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and hopefully secure a spot for the world championships in Saalbach, Austria, in February.
For now, she plans to return home to the U.S. for the holiday season before heading back to Europe for training at Passo San Pellegrino in Italy. Knight detailed the importance of training in diverse company, mentioning how the gathering of various national teams during training would provide valuable insights. “We’ve definitely got to do some more work with the equipment,” he stated.
Vonn remains fueled by determination, even as she faced skepticism from some within the skiing community. Critiques labeling her “crazy” for attempting a return at her age only served as motivation for her. Knight noted that Vonn actively sought out these remarks and used them to fuel her drive, confirming, “It’s nice to see how much that motivates her.”