When Lindsey Vonn made the choice to end five years of retirement to return to ski racing ahead of the 2024–25 season, she wasn’t necessarily thinking she would be adding more crystal globes to her collection.
Vonn was just happy that a surgery to install titanium implants in her right knee allowed her to re-open the door for a final chapter in her skiing career.
The goal? Qualify for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, where she would attempt to add one more medal to her collection. Previously, she won Vancouver 2010 downhill gold (the first for an American woman), Vancouver 2010 super-G bronze and Pyeongchang 2018 downhill bronze.
On Friday in St. Moritz, Vonn earned her first downhill win in nearly eight years and her first top podium finish since she returned from retirement, with a whopping 0.98 seconds on second-place finisher Magdalena Egger. Vonn previously took second in a World Cup race at Sun Valley.
The win vaulted her to first in the downhill world rankings and 16th overall. Vonn owns many hats that say “82,” indicating her 82 World Cup wins. She’ll have to get some made that say 83.
It was also in St. Moritz in 2024 that Vonn made her first start after she returned from retirement. In a July 2024 revision of FIS Alpine Ski World Cup rules, FIS added a wild card option that guarantees returning World Cup racers a starting position after the top 30.
However, Vonn has proven that she’s still in position to be a favorite.
It’s looking extremely likely that we’ll see Vonn racing in Cortina. And if she keeps this up, perhaps Vonn decides to finish out the rest of the World Cup season if there’s a possible ninth title on the line to add to her record eight season titles in downhill discipline (2008–2013, 2015, 2016).
Vonn had initially planned to retire after the final race at Milano Cortina…but why cut this amazing comeback short?
With the win, Vonn, 41, makes history as the oldest World Cup race winner, by quite a few years; Switzerland’s Didier Cuche, at 37, previously held the mark. The oldest previous female winner, at 34, was Italy’s Federica Brignone.
With a reconstructed knee and a new coach in Aksel Lund Svindal, 2018 Pyeongchang 2018 gold medalist in downhill, Lindsey Vonn is proving that she’s still the reigning speed queen.
As for what’s next for Vonn? Before she leaves St. Moritz, she’ll compete in super-G…a discipline she says she’s skiing better in than downhill. If that’s the case, perhaps she should hold off on ordering any new hats.
