PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Lindsey Vonn has officially announced her return from retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, making her comeback at the age of 40 — six years after competing in her last Olympics.
Vonn, a celebrated athlete with three Olympic medals, including a gold in downhill and a bronze in super-G from the 2010 Vancouver Games, also earned a bronze in downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Beyond her Olympic accolades, she is a four-time overall World Cup champion and has a remarkable collection of eight world championship medals.
Throughout her illustrious career, Vonn achieved 82 World Cup race victories, a record for women that stood until January 2023 when it was surpassed by fellow American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, who continues to compete and currently boasts 97 wins — the highest total for any Alpine ski racer in history.
Before breaking Vonn’s record, Shiffrin remarked: “I don’t know if I could fill Lindsey’s shoes, the way that she has worn them,” highlighting the significant impact Vonn has had on the sport.
Vonn’s last competitive event was in February 2019, following a career marked by numerous injuries, including broken bones, torn ligaments, and concussions. This past April, several years after stepping away from the World Cup circuit, she underwent surgery for a partial knee replacement.
Having undergone extensive training in recent months, Vonn stated, “Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey.” She expressed her desire to share her expertise with the talented women on the American team.
Effective immediately, Vonn is back with the U.S. Ski Team, although her specific race schedule has yet to be determined. The first downhill race of the current World Cup season, which is her specialty, is slated to take place in December at Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, shared her excitement, saying, “Lindsey’s dedication and passion for Alpine skiing are truly inspiring, and we can’t wait to see her back on the slopes and what she will achieve next.”
The upcoming Winter Olympics will be held in Italy in February 2026, and although it remains uncertain if Vonn will compete, the women’s Alpine skiing events will take place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where she holds the record for 12 victories.
Vonn is eligible to take advantage of a new wild-card rule from the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, which grants retired champions favorable starting positions in races without needing to re-establish ranking points in lower-tier events.
In a similar return, eight-time overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher recently benefited from this new rule after a five-year hiatus from competition.
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