In a stunning announcement that shocked the ski racing world, Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn revealed she is making a comeback to World Cup skiing at age 40, nearly six years after retiring. The revelation comes after Vonn underwent an experimental robot-assisted knee replacement surgery, giving her the confidence to test her limits once again on the world’s most challenging downhill courses.
But not everyone is thrilled about Vonn’s return to the sport she once dominated, racking up a record 43 World Cup downhill victories. Several retired champions have publicly questioned the wisdom and safety of Vonn’s decision.
Vonn should see a psychologist. Does she want to kill herself?
– Michaela Dorfmeister, two-time Olympic gold medalist
Austrian downhill legend Franz Klammer declared that Vonn has “gone completely mad” while four-time overall World Cup winner Pirmin Zurbriggen warned she risks irreparably damaging her artificial knee in a way that could impact her for life. But Vonn is firing back at the doubters.
I’m getting pretty tired of people predicting negative things about my future. Did they all become doctors and I missed it, because they talk like they know more than the best doctors in the world.
– Lindsey Vonn
Calculated Comeback
Contrary to perceptions, Vonn says her return to racing is the result of years of careful research, consultations with top orthopedic surgeons, and months of on-snow testing to see how her body would respond. Working closely with doctors who specialize in complex knee disorders, Vonn underwent preparatory procedures to get her knee ready before having a partial replacement with two titanium components in April.
She points to other extreme skiers like Chris Davenport, who skis over 150 days a year with a partial knee replacement, as evidence that her comeback plans are realistic with the right approach. Vonn’s US Ski Team doctor Tom Hackett guided her in interviewing surgeons around the world to find the right fit.
Once you commit to something you got to commit. Once they’re cutting you open that is what it is. So I did all the front-end research and now I’m reaping the rewards on the back end.
– Lindsey Vonn
Defying Age Limits
While no woman older than 34 has ever won a World Cup ski race, Vonn believes she can defy expectations, pointing to other athletes like gymnast Simone Biles who won Olympic gold at 27 – the oldest all-around champion in nearly 75 years. On the men’s side, several skiers have achieved podium results into their early 40s.
- Johan Clarey (France): 2nd place in Kitzbuehel downhill at age 42 in 2023
- Didier Cuche (Switzerland): Won Kitzbuehel at age 37 in 2012
- Bode Miller (USA): Oldest Olympic alpine medalist with bronze at age 36 in 2014
As she prepares to enter the starting gate again this weekend in St. Moritz for super-G races, nearly six years after her tearful retirement in 2019, Vonn knows she still has her work cut out for her to prove the skeptics wrong. But armed with a new titanium knee, years of diligent preparation and an indomitable spirit, she’s ready to cement her legacy as the greatest female skier in history – at any age.
