Alpine Skiing
8 great races that defined Lindsey Vonn's career
We celebrate the remarkable career of alpine superstar Lindsey Vonn by looking back on some of her most memorable moments.
01
World Cup Downhill, Cortina, January 2004
All great athletes can remember the day when they believe they came of age. For Vonn, the memory of her first World Cup podium finish – a third place in the downhill at the Italian resort of Cortina that was to become one of her favourite venues – will never be erased. “It was the day I finally believed that I belong in the World Cup; before then, I didn’t really believe I could be that competitive and I remember ringing home and crying on the phone to my dad, saying ‘I finally made it!’,” recalled Vonn.
02
Downhill, Turin, February 2006
On the face of it, an eighth-place finish in the blue riband race at her second Winter Games may not sound much to rave about, but it may have been the one performance that truly epitomised all of Vonn’s unquenchable courage, skill and determination. She'd clocked the second fastest time in practice on the first run, but next time out crashed badly and had to be airlifted by helicopter to hospital in Turin, with Vonn fearing she'd broken her back and pelvis, while doctors were worried she may not compete again.
Only when MRI scans, astonishingly, showed no breaks did she hobble out of bed and try to make the great escape from the wards, determined to defy her badly bruised thigh, back and pelvis and compete in the big race 48 hours later. She did too, going through excruciating pain to finish eighth. Race winner Michaela Dorfmeister understood. At the finish, she looked at Vonn and said: “It is a miracle that Lindsey raced today. She has my respect.”
03
World Championship Super G, Val d’Isere, February 2009
This was Vonn’s first world title triumph, the first global big-race triumph that she had been seeking since her 2004 breakthrough – and it came in the most challenging of circumstances. On a cloudy morning, the light in the French Alpine resort was so poor that 16 racers failed to finish the race and, as the 21st competitor to start, she was struggling with the visibility as she launched herself from the gate.
“It was just really, really challenging. I didn't know if it was possible,” recalled Vonn. “I just skied with my heart and gave it everything I had, but I honestly didn't think I was going to do it.” She did, though, after a rip-roaring surge over the second half of the 80-second test. “When I saw I was in the lead, I was so shocked, and so happy. Winning that first world championship, I feel I have somewhat of a monkey off my back.”
Lindsey with her 2009 world championship medals
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Downhill, Vancouver, February 2010
Once again, Vonn’s preparations for the dream race of her career were severely disrupted just a fortnight before when she severely bruised her shin in training and she had to admit that the pain was so bad that she would have difficulty competing. This time, a little luck was on her side when unseasonably warm weather and poor snow conditions saw the race moved back in the programme, giving the injury more time to heal. On the Whistler slopes, she demolished the field by more than half a second to become the first American woman to capture the sport’s biggest prize.
05
World Cup Giant Slalom, Solden, Austria, October 2011
This was the day at the start of the 2012 season that Vonn graduated to the all-event winners’ circle, perhaps the most exclusive club in ski racing. With a magnificent second run charge, she sped from fourth after the first run to top of the podium to win her first giant slalom and become only the sixth woman to have won all five World Cup disciplines – downhill, super-g, slalom, giant slalom and combined. “It was great to finally get on the top step of the podium in giant slalom. I really didn’t believe it,” she smiled afterwards.
Lindsey in action in Sölden
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
06
World Cup Downhill, Lake Louise, December 2014
No wonder the Canadian venue has long been known as ‘Lake Lindsey’ after Vonn’s astonishing run of success there, but none of her record 18 wins at this one venue had quite the impact of the downhill at the end of a year where more injury woes had kept her out of action in Sochi. In just her second race back after almost a year out through injury and having turned 30, she roared to the most emphatic win, nearly half a second quicker than USA team-mate Stacey Cook.
It was another wonderful comeback after the shin fracture and two knee operations in the previous two years that had raised questions about whether she could ever soar again. "I remember that one being very emotional because after two years, you don’t really know what’s going to happen,” she recalled. “It meant the world to me, just unbelievable, like a dream day.”
Lindsey wins in Lake Louise
© Erich Spiess/ASP/Red Bull
07
World Cup Super G, Cortina, January 2015
This was the moment she cemented her greatness, with a 63rd World Cup victory that took her past Annemarie Moser-Proell's all-time record of 62 that had stood for 35 years. It made her the most successful woman skier in history. And what a way to achieve sporting immortality, as she produced a flawless run down the Olympia delle Tofane course, finishing 0.85 seconds faster than her nearest challenger.
With her family, friends and coaches joining her on the podium, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the legend 'Make History LV63', it was to be a day of wonderful celebration. It was also a day for her to reflect on her achievement. “I've given a lot to the sport and I've received so much in return. When I started Alpine skiing my goal was to win one race; now I belong to the history of the sport.”
Lindsey racing in Cortina in 2015
© Erich Spiess/ASP/Red Bull
08
Downhill, PyeongChang, February 2018
It wasn’t quite the fairytale golden finish she had dreamed of but, at 33, Vonn felt incredibly humbled and emotional to become the oldest woman to win a medal – a bronze – in any of the five Alpine skiing disciplines. Back in the country where her late grandfather Don had served during the Korean War, she dedicated the medal to the memory of the man who had inspired her and helped her career take off as a youngster. Sadly, he never did got to see her compete one last time as he died in the months leading up to the Games. “I wanted to win so much because of him, but I still think I made him proud,” she said.