COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn placed 24th in a lower-tier FIS downhill event on Saturday, marking her return to competition after nearly six years in retirement. The 40-year-old Vonn is attempting a comeback after taking a break from the sport due to injuries. She finished 1.44 seconds off the winning time of 1 […]
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn placed 24th in a lower-tier FIS downhill event on Saturday, marking her return to competition after nearly six years in retirement.
The 40-year-old Vonn is attempting a comeback after taking a break from the sport due to injuries. She finished 1.44 seconds off the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds achieved by Austria’s Mirjam Puchner. A total of 43 competitors raced on a cool, primarily sunny day.
Shortly after finishing, Vonn leaned down to regain her breath. She then approached the audience to sign autographs and take pictures before riding the ski lift back up the mountain.
A second downhill race is planned for later Saturday, followed by two super-G events on Sunday. Vonn is taking part in a series of FIS races to achieve the results needed to improve her ranking, allowing her a chance to enter World Cup competitions this season.
When Vonn retired, her 82 World Cup race wins held the record for women and were just shy of the all-time Alpine record of 86, set by Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark. Vonn’s women’s record was eclipsed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now boasts 99 victories — more than any Alpine ski racer in history.
Shiffrin is currently recuperating after a crash during a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. The next World Cup events for the women’s circuit are scheduled for a week from now in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Vonn has not yet disclosed when she plans to make her World Cup return.
Vonn’s last significant race occurred in February 2019, where she secured third place in a downhill event at the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the scene while still performing at a high level. However, numerous broken limbs, concussions, and torn knee ligaments ultimately compelled her retirement.
In April, she underwent a partial knee replacement and felt prepared to give racing another opportunity.
Saturday’s event featured several prominent names, including Swiss racer Michelle Gisin, Italy’s Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino, and Austria’s Cornelia Huetter. Also participating was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who previously raced for the United States but now competes for Mexico.
