Alpine

Lindsey Vonn Makes Ski Racing Return

by
USSA
2014-12-02 16:12
 

LAKE LOUISE, AB (Dec. 2) - The women’s speed team is in frigid Lake Louise for Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhills on Friday and Saturday, plus super G on Saturday. But it was Tuesday’s downhill training that had the sports world abuzz, with a strong American showing and Lindsey Vonn’s long awaited return to ski racing.

It was an emotional day for the U.S. Ski Team after a disappointing season-opening week here a year ago. The Americans put on a great performance, with six racers in the top 20—Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) in fourth, Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) seventh, Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA) 10th, Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) 11th, Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) 15th, and Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) 18th.

Out of the top 20, Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) finished 29th, Katie Ryan (Aspen, CO) 52nd and Abby Ghent (Edwards, CO) 63rd.

The most talked about topic of the day, however, was Vonn’s upcoming season. After her training run, Vonn said she felt confident and much stronger than this time last year. “I don’t really feel like the underdog. I feel like I’m just doing my best to have good runs and make progress every day,” Vonn remarked. “I feel on par with my top years.”

It was a particularly emotional day for McKennis who, like Vonn, is coming off multiple knee surgeries. She was nervous at the start but threw herself into the run to land fourth - tearing up in the finish and knowing that she was back and ready to challenge for another World Cup win. "It’s been so much work to get here and it’s taken me so long to get to this point where I’m back on the World Cup," said McKennis. "It’s definitely a little emotional for me."

Downhill training continues tomorrow and Thursday before the Winterstart World Cups begin Friday.

QUOTES
Lindsey Vonn
I just have more confidence than last year. I don’t really feel like the underdog; I feel like I’m just doing my best to have good runs and progress every day. I haven’t had a lot of training, so I’m using these training runs to try and work my way back into it. I feel confident. I hope to be on the podium, but I have to see how I stand.

I feel very strong, on par with my top years. The difference is that I’ve obviously had two surgeries. I’m wearing a brace; things are different. I just have to trust my body at this point.

I’m more aware of what’s going on in terms of the snow conditions and in training. If the snow isn’t good, I won’t run the course. I’m not taking excess risk. I’m going to save it all for the races and take it easier when training.

I’m surprised about my GS skiing. I thought it would take longer to come back, but I was skiing GS really, really fast in Copper. I was teetering on the border of racing in Aspen, but I needed to really focus on speed because we didn’t get much training as we hoped because there was so much snow in Colorado.

It’s so nice to be back. I’m really happy. I’ve been waiting a long time for this race. It was fun; I had a huge smile on my face. It was the perfect way to start the season.

Alice McKennis

It’s been so much work to get here and it’s taken me so long to get to this point where I’m back on the World Cup. It’s definitely a little emotional for me. I was nervous in the start—you’re always nervous the first training run of the year and doubly for me because I hadn’t done it in a long time. I was feeling it in the start!

I didn’t really believe my run. I’m still not really sure that was my time or not. It was pretty shocking and I think I had more emotions than most of the other racers out here. 

For race day, I just need to keep the same focus and be relaxed—just enjoy it and have fun out there.

RESULTS

Full training run results

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