Joy among ÖSV ladies

This is Vonn’s timetable for her World Cup return

Lindsey Vonn is fighting for her return to the Ski World Cup.

(Bild: AFP )

The announced comeback of Lindsey Vonn (40) is causing great anticipation in the Ski World Cup - also among the ÖSV speed ladies around downhill World Cup winner Cornelia Hütter. But before the first race on the highest stage, the US American, who will soon be completing her first downhill training sessions, still has a number of obstacles to overcome - despite her wildcard, Vonn still needs FIS points!

No one has won more downhill races in her career (43), no one has won more super-Gs (28). Eight downhill crystals are a record, as are five super-G globes! For years, speed queen Lindsey Vonn taught the competition to be afraid, now the 40-year-old wants to give it another go and has announced her World Cup comeback.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

News that also astonished the Austrian speed team. "To come back at that age, with all the injuries - just wow," said Stephanie Venier. Conny Hütter added: "She was one of the greatest when I came into the World Cup. The fact that I now have the chance to race against her again is cool and motivating." Last season's downhill crystal star knows: "For skiing, her comeback is very cool."

"I've always admired Lindsey"
What Vonn is still capable of after a five-year absence? No one in the Austrian speed ladies' squad, who are flying to Copper Mountain for a training camp at the end of November, dares to say. But the will alone earns runner-up Nina Orlieb great respect. The Vorarlberg native has already had 22 operations in her career and sees Vonn as a role model: "I have always admired Lindsey for her 'never give up' attitude and I am convinced that this is one of the reasons why she is so successful." Standing on a World Cup podium together with the US superstar in the future would be "a childhood dream for me". 

Lindsey Vonn's greatest successes at a glance.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Joerg Mitter Photography)

However, it remains to be seen when the first showdown with the American will take place. These days, Vonn is traveling with the US team to Copper Mountain for a training camp, where she will attempt her first downhill training sessions after three weeks of individual training - and see how her artificial knee stands up to the strain. "This will really be the first time we have a World Cup downhill with a certain length, jumps and terrain," says Patrick Riml, ex-Vonn coach and now Head of Alpine at Red Bull. 

Vonn needs 80 FIS points for wildcard
Vonn wants to start as a forerunner at the speed season opener in Beaver Creek in mid-December. However, it will be some time before she competes in the World Cup. This is because, unlike Marcel Hirscher, Vonn is only allowed to bring a certain number of FIS points with her for the newly introduced wild card, 80 to be precise. In contrast to the technical events, this is a must for speed races - a safety issue.

Vonn currently has 104.81 points in the downhill and 93.02 in the super-G. To explain: FIS races are mandatory before her comeback in the World Cup, and a first start at the beginning of December in Val Gardena/Gröden is said to be on the cards. If she performs well in FIS races, her points will go down. The lower, the better, until she reaches the required 80 points. "I still have a long way to go," says the winner of 82 World Cup races.

World Cup comeback in Austria?
Her return to the highest stage could come at the earliest at the super-G double before Christmas in St. Moritz, but probably not until the new year. It is not entirely out of the question that Vonn's World Cup comeback could even take place in Austria: The first women's speed races in 2025 will take place on the technically demanding Karl Schranz piste in St. Anton. All on the condition that Vonn's knee plays along ...