Alpine skiing icon Lindsey Vonn announces return to racing

Bronze medallist Lindsey Vonn of the United States celebrates during the victory ceremony for the Ladies' Downhill on day 12 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Jeongseon Alpine Centre on February 21, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. Photo: Sarah Brunson/U.S. Ski & Snowboard

PARK CITY, Utah – Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn’s illustrious alpine skiing career is about to start a new chapter. On Thursday, Park City-based U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced Vonn’s official return to the alpine team, confirming rumors of her comeback that have been circulating in the pre-season lead-up to the 2024-25 FIS World Cup tour.

Vonn, who turned 40 in mid-October, retired from professional skiing on February 10, 2019. She announced her retirement shortly before competing in her final event, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden, where she won a bronze medal in the downhill. This marked the end of her highly successful career. To date, her achievements include 82 World Cup wins, gold and bronze Olympic medals, and five World Championship medals.

Vonn’s decision to return to ski racing comes after a successful partial knee replacement surgery earlier this year. Vonn has said this has made it possible to train both on and off snow in ways she couldn’t even five years ago, toward the end of her career. The physical struggle she overcame in the final year of her career was the subject of an HBO documentary.

In October, Vonn made several posts on social media showing her in places like New Zealand and Soelden, Austria—home of the World Cup season opener. Her videos looked like a return to racing, highlighting her prepping for early morning sessions and skiing clean lines through training courses. This ignited a wildfire of rumors about her return, but Vonn remained vague about her intentions.

 

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After officials at U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced her return to the team, they also reported that she will be continuing her progression with the team in Colorado this month.

“Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey,” said Vonn. “I am looking forward to being back and to continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women.”

Although Vonn has not announced any plans to officially kick out of a World Cup starting gate, it is likely that if her training progression continues to go well, she will take advantage of a new wildcard rule FIS made that allows former Olympic and World Champions to return to World Cup skiing without having to work their way back up through the ranks.

Two other notable ski stars, Austria’s Marcel Hirscher and Brazil’s Lucas Braathen (also Red Bull athletes, like Vonn), have taken advantage of the wildcard rule to make comebacks this season.

Although Vonn may not be ready for the women’s speed races in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on December 14-15, she could use her wildcard registration to enter the World Cup super-G races on Dec. 21 and 22 in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Eye on Cortina 2026: Vonn’s comeback could be perfectly timed for her to return to one of her favorite speed tracks on the women’s World Cup in Cortina, Italy, where she could start in her fifth Olympic Games. During her career, Vonn won 12 races there and frequently expressed her love for racing in Cortina. She also has achieved numerous career milestones there, including tying and breaking records for World Cup wins.

“I think everyone knows how much I love Cortina,” she told the New York Times in a recent interview.

Vonn, who now owns a home in Park City and calls it home, will continue working with her foundation, the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which supports underserved girls through scholarships and empowerment programs. In July, the foundation held a fundraiser at the Utah Olympic Park, and Vonn made a recent appearance at Park City’s Winter School. She also played a pivotal role in Salt Lake City’s and Park City’s bid for the 2034 Olympics. In March, Vonn announced a part-ownership stake in the Utah Royals, a women’s professional soccer club based in Salt Lake City.