When shattered knees once threatened to silence her skiing, Lindsey Vonn, at 40, is back in 10th place in the Skiing World Cup. In February 2019, many followers felt that Lindsey Vonn’s legendary skiing journey ended–well, for the time being–following a devastating knee injury. It was a disheartening decision for Lindsey and the skiing enthusiasts worldwide, yet she came back. 

She expressed her wish to return to the World Cup tournament in November last year. Her announcement sent waves among skiing aficionados, as she was the most decorated skier in the world. Lindsey Vonn won 82 World Cup events during her twenty-six years of career–starting from 1999. A persistent knee injury from 2018, however, abruptly ended her career in 2019. “My body is screaming at me to stop,” said Lindsey after a skiing competition in Italy’s Cortina in 2019. And that’s it. Well, not really at all.

All-time great Lindsey Vonn’s return to World Cup

At the age of 40, Lindsey Vonn returned to the World Cup stage in December last year as a wild-card participant. That wild-card race lifted the skiing community spirit even more when she wrote, “Well… after a solid weekend of races I am now qualified to race World Cup! (emoji) now let’s see when I’m ready …(emoji),” on her X handle on December 9. And she has made one heck of a comeback! Picking up where Lindsey where she left off at St. Moritz, Lindsey Vonn continued her impressive Super-G run at St Anton. Her skiing on the icy ruts on Sunday was incredible despite her 10th position in the World Cup finish. 

Vonn put on a stellar show with power and a composed manner on the tricky trail of St. Anton’s Downhill skiing. She clocked 1:16.66. At this World Cup discipline, Lindsey Vonn finished in sixth position behind Switzerland’s Malorie Blanc. In the World Cup, she is now in 10th position. 

But her blazing ability at the age of 40 caught every eye. Amid the rumble rouse of the energized crowd, the commentators were excited to see Lindsey’s techniques. Swishing on the ice turn, commentators praised her for “gliding great turn.” Truly, Lindsey Vonn presented a great skiing race after coming back to the World Cup. Even the online crowd started singing her praise.

Vonn’s return ignites fans’ excitement

That praise singing can be seen on the NBC Olympics and Paralympics’ X handle, where they shared a short clip of Lindsey Vonn skiing. Watching and soaking up the excitement of Lindsey’s race, one fan penned, “Good for her!! Out of the game for 6 years and comes back with a bang!! And I hate to say it but, she’s also 40. I know that’s ageist, but I actually mean it in a complimentary way.” The age is not a bar for Lindsey Vonn. She endured her injuries for a long time. Until it was just unbearable, Lindsey Von didn’t stop her skiing.

Another fan, awestruck by her return, expressed congratulations. “Wow @lindseyvonn! Nothing short of amazing (emoji) Congrats (emoji),” the user wrote below the shared post. It seems that Lindsey Vonn’s racing position does not matter to her fans. They are just eager to see her skiing. 

Other fans seem more keen on her skiing techniques. One commented, “Great result for starting way down in the order, especially given the difficult conditions, shade/sun, and rutted snow. #wow.” The downhill was difficult, yet Lindsey kept her pace between 92 and 119.5 km/h. 

On the same note, a fan wrote, “Smooth, in control, smart skiing by Lindsey Vonn! Welcome back!” In other words, Lindsey Vonn didn’t lose her capacity despite her nine years off the competition. 

One fan was encouraged when Lindsey’s deliberate skiing techniques appeared in the clip. The user commented, “I had my first ski lesson on Thursday…makes this so much more impressive! Congrats!” Indeed, Lindsey Vonn makes a great impression with her traits on ice. She is undeniably among the greatest skiers of all time. In addition to her 82 World Cup wins, she earned three Olympic medals.

She started skiing early, and by age 17, she was competing on the world stage. And just after two years, she became the elite skier with the downhill top podium stand. And the rest is history. Nonetheless, this World Cup marks another chapter for Lindsey Vonn–a testament to her ability to overcome her setbacks and future triumphs.