Vonn, set to forerun Birds of Prey races, is trying to be patient as her World Cup comeback picks up speed

BEAVER CREEK — It’s been a little more than five years since Lindsey Vonn won a world championship downhill bronze in Are, Sweden, in her last professional race. When the 40-year-old took to the Birds of Prey course Wednesday as a forerunner on the first day of downhill training, everything felt right in her world.

“It was really fun. It felt so normal to be standing in the start gate,” she told assembled media members in Red Tail Stadium before admitting there were a few hiccups on the way down.

“Definitely the first run on any new downhill, it’s a little awkward,” she said. “Some turns I skied well, some turns I was a little bit conservative, but it felt really good. I had such a good time inspecting with my teammates and kind of getting back into the rhythm. Everything felt as it should.”

---

---

Last weekend, Vonn earned the necessary FIS points to return to World Cup racing under the International Ski Federation’s new wildcard rule by competing in a pair of super-G and downhill FIS-level races at Copper Mountain. She hasn’t announced her return to World Cup racing yet but plans to forerun throughout the Birds of Prey weekend.

“I’m going to watch some video and see how tomorrow goes, but I’m on course. I’m on my plan; it’s going well. Definitely better than I expected,” Vonn said. “If you think about it, I’ve only been skiing a few days. I skied maybe nine days of downhill and 10 days of super-G in the last six years. So, I’d say, all things considered, I’m at a quite accelerated progression.”

---

---

Vonn is no stranger to Beaver Creek. One of her 82 career World Cup wins came in a super-G at the venue in 2011, the only time women have raced on the Birds of Prey course until this year. She also won a bronze medal at the 2015 world championships in the super-G (and placed fifth in the downhill and 14th in the GS that year).

With women getting the opportunity to compete on the Birds of Prey downhill course for the first time ever this weekend, it’s understandable Vonn — an eight-time downhill globe winner — is a little bummed to not be putting on a numbered bib.

“I mean, I would prefer to be racing here, but beggars can’t be choosers,” she said. “I guess I’m just getting back into the swing of things. So again, it’s a natural progression.”

In a perfect world, that progression would ultimately lead to the 2026 Olympics in Cortina, Italy, where Vonn claimed her first career podium and broke Annemarie Moser-Proell’s women’s World Cup win record in 2015.

“I mean, when I retired, I think the number one thing I was sad about was that I couldn’t race Cortina for the Olympics,” she said. “In a perfect world, yeah, that would be amazing. But again, I’m trying to stay in the present. So a long ways to Cortina.” 

Immediately upon her arrival in Red Tail Stadium as the third forerunner, Vonn radioed up to her teammates, Jacqueline Wiles and Lauren Macuga, to report slower-than-expected snow speed. Words from the 82-time World Cup winner have a way of instilling confidence in the younger U.S. Ski Team athletes.

“She was like, just really go — send it,” said the 22-year-old Macuga, who had the second-fastest American time in Wednesday’s downhill training run. “I think it was nice to hear that from her because she’s done this awhile. She knows what she’s talking about. It definitely brought the nerves down a little bit.”

After Beaver Creek, the women’s World Cup travels to St. Moritz, Switzerland, for two super-G races on Dec. 21-22. Vonn hasn’t committed to competing in Switzerland but said she’ll be announcing her return soon. She’s well aware the expectations will be sky-high — especially from herself.

“That’s the hard thing. I think I probably have the highest expectations of anyone, but I have to be patient,” the 20-time globe winner said. “It is definitely not my strong suit, but I’m trying.”

Vonn said she knows she’s “not going to be winning World Cups right off the bat.”

“But I know what I’m capable of,” she added. “I’ve had training runs where I’m winning and beating (Federica) Brignone and I’ve had days where I’ve sucked. So, it’s just a matter of getting the equipment dialed in, getting my timing back. I’m really close to being in a really good spot.”