Emotional Comeback for Lindsey Vonn at World Cup Finals
SUN VALLEY, Idaho (AP) — Lindsey Vonn made an emotional return to the podium at the World Cup finals, marking her return to competitive skiing after a six-year hiatus, an eleven-month recovery from a partial knee replacement, and an announcement of her comeback just four months ago. Overwhelmed with emotion in the finish area, she struggled to catch her breath but still celebrated by raising her ski poles high, tears of joy and relief streaming down her face. She shared that these tears were not only for her return but also for proving the skeptics wrong and affirming the value of her adventure.
Concluding her comeback season at the age of 40, Vonn secured a second-place finish in the super-G event won by Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami. By reaching the podium, she set a record as the oldest female Alpine skier to achieve this milestone, surpassing the previous record by six years.
“It was incredibly challenging,” Vonn expressed. “What I am doing is not easy, but it felt so rewarding to say that I did it — that I can still do it.”
Finding her top form while navigating the tricky and steep Challenger course during the World Cup finals, Vonn, who is an 82-time World Cup winner and three-time Olympic medalist, soaked in the cheers from the enthusiastic audience while glancing at the scoreboard.
“Age is merely a number,” Vonn proclaimed. “If you feel good, maintain your mental drive, and work diligently, you can attain anything you set your mind to.”
Motivated by the critics who doubted her ability to return, Vonn reflected, “Sometimes the negative voices drive me more than the positive ones. I use all that as fuel, propelling me through the tough times this year. When I crossed the finish line, it felt like a huge relief to be where I knew I could be and to silence so many negative voices that seemed to surround me all season. It was a perfect way to conclude my season.”
This podium finish was Vonn’s first since she placed third in a super-G in Are, Sweden, on March 15, 2018. A year later, she earned a downhill bronze at the world championships before stepping back from her illustrious career primarily due to knee issues.
After undergoing a titanium knee replacement in April, Vonn felt rejuvenated and announced her comeback plans in November. “I continue to show that anything is possible,” she stated, sharing her journey of resilience. “Despite being knocked down numerous times in my life—personally and physically—I’ve always managed to rise again. It’s not straightforward; it involves a great deal of hard work. However, taking it one step at a time eventually leads you to milestones like today.”
Before the race, her father, Alan Kildow, encouraged her, saying, “Fearless.” He believed the redesigned Sun Valley course suited her well, stating, “With a clean, technically sound run, she could shine.”
This achievement marked Vonn’s 138th career podium finish in her 408th World Cup race, putting her one step away from tying the record for most starts by a female Alpine racer, currently held by Renate Goetschl of Austria.
Federica Brignone, a fellow competitor and 34-year-old Italian racer, expressed, “She’s Lindsey Vonn. She possesses qualities of an amazing champion. Today, she pieced everything together and delivered an outstanding performance.”
Gut-Behrami won the super-G race in a time of 1 minute, 12.35 seconds, edging out Vonn by 1.29 seconds to claim the season-long super-G crystal globe, after trailing by five points before the race.
“I finally rediscovered my joy for skiing,” Gut-Behrami shared. “It’s much easier to ski fast when you’re enjoying the process.”
Vonn’s season concludes, with plans to take a few weeks off before testing her ski equipment in Europe. “I gave every last ounce of energy in this final race,” she noted. “I could barely breathe at the end—perhaps due to crying—but ultimately, it was an incredible race.”
