Lindsey Vonn’s most recent visit to Garmisch-Partenkirchen did not turn out as she expected. Once the shining star on this course in Germany, who achieved nine World Cup wins in her career, had a mishap that struck off her return. “No matter what the result, I’m going to have fun,” Lindsey Vonn shared her feelings before going to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. She was focusing on enjoying the moment rather than overthinking the outcome.

Yet despite the positive attitude she adopted, it was difficult to get rid of the shame of losing a score, especially on a trail that was previously her territory, where she enchanted everyone with her splendid actions. Yet Vonn had a bad stumble, which put an end to her attempt at coming back on a stage that had, in the past, been packed with her spectacular performances. In this German course, she won nine World Cup races before she retired. What was the reason behind her retirement?

Vonn retired in 2019 due to persistent injuries, and later she had to go through a knee replacement. But as they say, you can take her out of the game, but you can’t take the game out of her. Vonn’s determination to ski made her return to the game; she returned in November 2024. However, she wants to enjoy the game and doesn’t want to think much of the win or loss.

According to Olympics.com, Vonn told ZDF, “I have a lot of good memories racing here in Garmisch.” She also added, “My training run was good. I am still trying to get better every day, but the confidence is there.” But things turned out to be disappointing as Vonn crashed. How did she crash at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

Vonn looked like she would clinch the second place, as she was just behind Federica Brignone. But while the Italian managed to win the race, Vonn couldn’t keep her top-ten finish. As Lindsay Vonn continued on the course, the Olympic champion veered off course and began to lose valuable time. This lost time hurt her big time, though.

With the panic setting, she tried to make up for the time but her attempt went too far. And she ended up missing a gate. But being the good sport she is, she kept her cool. She grinned and waved to the fans as she descended to the finish line, and the crowd gave her an enthusiastic ovation. As she made her comeback after the injuries, what exactly happened with Lindsey Vonn?

Injuries and their impact on Lindsey Vonn’s career

Well, in a career that spans nearly 2 decades, Vonn has brought herself multiple accolades. This includes 82 World Cup victories and golds at the Olympics and world championships. But rising knee injuries forced the American to retire in 2019 at the age of 35. Despite quitting, Vonn managed to accept that her time to hang up the boots had come. She understood that the repeated injuries didn’t allow her body to continue competing in competitive skiing. In fact, Lindsey has been prone to injuries for a long time.

In August 2015, Lindsey broke her ankle, and the following year, she broke both her knees. She shattered her right arm in November 2016. She broke three more bones in her left knee and tore a ligament in 2018. But despite this, she could not stay away from her love for too long. In April 2024, Vonn got a titanium knee replacement surgery and then returned to where her heart belongs. Now, she is all geared up to compete in the 2026 Olympics, which will be held in Cortina, Italy.

The impact of surgeries on any sportsperson is more mental than physical. Being forced to stop doing what you love impacts you badly. Even after many injuries, she made her comeback (after the knee replacement). Now, moving forward to the present, the result of the 2025 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup hasn’t come up in her favor; she found her return to Garmisch-Partenkirchen to be a pocket full of dreams that didn’t come true. Let’s hope good things are saved for her future.