Lindsey Vonn once again demonstrated her dominance in downhill skiing during the current Olympic season on Saturday.
Claiming her second World Cup downhill victory out of four races this season, Vonn showcased her remarkable comeback at 41 years old, having undergone a knee reconstruction with titanium implants. She outpaced Kajsa Vickhoff Lie by 0.37 seconds in challenging, overcast conditions in Zauchensee, Austria. Vonn enthusiastically cheered from the leader’s box as her teammate Jacqueline Wiles secured the third position, trailing by 0.48 seconds.
Despite the shortened course that she completed in less than 67 seconds, Vonn reached speeds of 130 kph, marking one of the swiftest performances by a female racer this season.
“It feels incredible. I savor every moment I spend out here because speeding down the slope is just pure joy,” Vonn expressed.
Crossing the finish line with a determined expression of satisfaction, Vonn celebrated her win by punching the air with her right fist and nodding affirmatively.
“I knew the level of effort required to win today. It was a sprint, and I had to give it my all, taking some risks along the way,” Vonn stated.
Vonn continues to set records in the World Cup circuit as the oldest race winner in its 60-season history with each triumph. Her 84th career victory on the circuit also marked her record-extending 45th win in downhill skiing.
Following her win, Vonn shared a special family video call with her coach Aksel Lund Svindal, the men’s downhill champion at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, where Vonn clinched the bronze in the women’s race.
The upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics on February 8 hold promise for Vonn, a former Olympic downhill champion at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, especially at the Cortina d’Ampezzo slope where she has excelled in the past.
Saturday’s race saw Vonn extending her lead in the season-long World Cup downhill standings after securing 100 race points. She now holds a 129-point advantage over Emma Aicher of Germany, who finished sixth in the recent race. Vonn aims for her ninth World Cup downhill season title, a decade after her eighth win, which also took place in Zauchensee.
Looking ahead, Vonn is set to compete in the super-G event on Sunday, expected to feature a longer course compared to the downhill race.