On January 20, 2019, Vonn, who will leave the starting house with number 31, contested her last race to date. At that time, the American had to abandon the Super-G in Cortina d'Ampezzo due to excessive pain. She then announced the end of her dazzling career in an ORF interview with the words “I didn’t want to stop, but I can’t go on.” A year earlier, she celebrated the last of her 82 World Cup victories in March 2018 in Aare, Sweden.
Despite her six-year break, the charisma of the athlete with the faux fur pompoms on her hood as her trademark hardly diminished. Second-class FIS races and the start of a forerunner have never attracted as much attention as those in North America. Never has a comeback been so polarizing. Her first World Cup appearance as a forerunner in the downhill in Beaver Creek received as many headlines as Cornelia Hütter's victory.
Vonn ready for comeback in St. Moritz
After her strong performances in Beaver Creek, Cornelia Hütter is also one of the favorites in the Super-G in Sankt Moritz. But the eyes of ski fans are on Lindsey Vonn.
Vonn had to emphasize like a prayer that she had really carefully considered her return. On social media, after some offensive comments from former competitors and former ski greats, she spoke out quite eloquently in self-defense. It seemed to her that an amateur doctor appeared around every corner. Meanwhile, specialists have little concern that her partially artificial knee might not hold up.
Comeback is not a PR stunt
The fact that she was able to get rid of her chronic pain with the artificial joint part gave the competition pause. “When I retired, I just physically couldn’t do it anymore. That has changed, my body has been mended again. Now I can do it again, so I want to do it again,” said Vonn. She is not afraid to give 110 percent like she used to. She is expected to raise the record as the oldest podium finisher by six years – probably not right away, but as the season progresses. This is supported by the fact that Vonn would have already made it into the top ten on the downhill in Beaver Creek if he had stopped by hand.
IMAGO/Sammy Minkoff
With Marcel Hirscher, a second living legend returned to the World Cup at the start of the season after years of retirement. The 35-year-old former Dominator learned the pitfalls of the undertaking after the third race and a 23rd place in Sölden as his best result on the painful tour with a torn cruciate ligament. Vonn does not have in mind a “pleasure project” for the sake of skiing, as Hirscher said. It should be more than a PR coup. “Being there is not my goal. My plan is clearly to get back to where I was before,” Vonn clarified. “That titanium piece in the knee works pretty well.”
ÖSV team without Tippler
In any case, Austria's speed women want to prolong their top start in the shadow of the Vonn hype. Hütter's downhill victory and third place in the Super-G by Ariane Rädler ahead of Hütter created a great atmosphere in the home camp. “Of course everything is a little easier after the podium,” explained Rädler. “Now I’m fully motivated for St. Moritz. I really like the route, I already have a fifth place here.” Given the many waves and transitions, technically good skiing is required. “I will rely on my strengths again.”
The team only traveled to St. Moritz on Friday after super-G training in South Tyrol. Tamara Tippler, who withdrew shortly before the Beaver Creek races, is also skipping this weekend. The Styrian, who has not yet fully returned from a maternity leave, still sees some catching up to do. Nina Ortlieb, on the other hand, returns fit to the scene of the accident in 2023, where she suffered a broken tibia and fibula while driving in for the Super-G.
