ST. MORITZ, Switzerland – Lindsey Vonn took a low-risk approach and finished 14th in the super-G on Saturday to mark her return to the World Cup at age 40.
Vonn crossed the finish line 1.18 seconds behind the winner, Austrian Cornelia Huetter. The Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami and the Italian Sofia Goggia completed the podium.
It was the American's first World Cup race after retiring for almost six years.
“It was the perfect sendoff,” Vonn said. Today is just the first step and I didn't want more. Today I really needed to go all the way. I wanted to get a good result. And that's exactly what I did. »
Vonn lost time early in her race, but nearly matched the top finishers in the middle and lower sections of the Corvaglia course.
When she reached the finish and saw her time, Vonn flashed a big smile and waved to the crowd.
“I didn’t take any risks. “I was a little conservative in some sections, but overall I skied really well,” added Vonn, who plans to compete in another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.
“Now I just need to get my upper body a little faster and I’ll be in a really good position.” »
Canadians Valérie Grenier and Cassidy Gray were present, but did not finish the descent.
Vonn had to end her career in 2019 due to a series of falls and injuries, but she underwent right knee replacement surgery in April and had two titanium pieces inserted. Her knee feels better than ever, so she decided to make a comeback.
Vonn left the competition with 82 World Cup victories, the record for a woman at the time and within touching distance of the Alpine record of 86 held by Swede Ingemar Stenmark. The women's record held by Vonn was eclipsed in January 2023 by her American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, who now holds an all-time record of 99 victories.
Shiffrin, who shares the St. Moritz record of five victories with Vonn, is not competing this weekend as she is recovering from abdominal surgery to clean a wound she suffered in an accident last month.
Vonn took advantage of a new rule that allows former champions to enter races without having the necessary points.
Eight-time World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher also took advantage of this rule and returned this season after five years of absence. But Hirscher tore his left anterior cruciate ligament during giant slalom training and announced earlier this month that his season was over.
Vonn is attempting to enter uncharted territory in terms of success at an older age in women's skiing.
The oldest woman to win a World Cup race is Federica Brignone. The Italian won the giant slalom in Sölden, Austria, last October at the age of 34.
The oldest man to win a race is Didier Cuche, at age 37, in a super-G in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in 2012.
