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After receiving around five minutes of medical attention, Lindsey Vonn stood up and slowly made her way down to the finish area.
Lindsey Vonn suffered a heavy fall during her last downhill race before the Winter Olympics on Friday and was airlifted from the slope for precautionary medical checks — a worrying development just days before the Milan Cortina Games. The 41-year-old American skiing icon crashed during a World Cup event in Crans-Montana, marking her third crash in the race.
Vonn lost control after landing awkwardly from a jump and slid into the safety nets in the upper section of the course.
After receiving around five minutes of medical attention, Vonn stood up and slowly made her way down to the finish area. She appeared to be in discomfort, using her ski poles for balance, stopping several times and repeatedly clutching her left knee.
The downhill race, which took place in challenging conditions marked by poor visibility, was subsequently abandoned following her crash.
The extent to which the incident may affect Vonn’s Olympic preparations was not immediately known. Expected to be one of the marquee names at the Games, she was seen limping into a medical tent before being airlifted away by helicopter, suspended from a hoist cable with two attendants.
The US Ski Team later confirmed via social media that she was undergoing evaluation.
Before entering the tent, Vonn appeared visibly anxious and shared a prolonged embrace with teammate Jacqueline Wiles, her eyes closed. Wiles had been leading the race when it was called off.
“I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her,” International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann told reporters at the finish area. “I don't know if it's really heavy and (if) she won't miss the Olympics. Let's wait for what the doctors are saying.”
Remarkable comeback
Vonn had made a dramatic return to elite competition last season at the age of 40 after nearly six years away from the sport. Racing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she has dominated the downhill circuit this season, recording two wins and three additional podium finishes from five races.
Including super-G events, she had competed in eight World Cup races this season and finished on the podium seven times, with fourth place being her lowest result.
The crash came exactly one week before the Milan Cortina opening ceremony.
Olympic schedule
Vonn is scheduled to make her Olympic debut in the women’s downhill on 8 February. She was also set to compete in the super-G and the newly introduced team combined event.
The women’s alpine skiing events at the Games will take place in Cortina d’Ampezzo — a venue where Vonn holds the record with 12 World Cup victories.
She had also planned to race in a super-G event in Crans-Montana on Saturday, which would have been her final competition before the Olympics.
Dangerous conditions lead to multiple crashes
Vonn was the sixth skier to start Friday’s downhill and posted the fastest time at the first checkpoint before losing balance on a jump. She raised her left arm and pole in an attempt to recover before spinning while braking and crashing into the nets.
Two other skiers — Austria’s Nina Ortlieb and Norway’s Marte Monsen — had also crashed earlier. Ortlieb fell in the same section as Vonn, while Monsen crashed near the finish and was taken away on a sled, prompting race delays.
Despite the incidents, Jacqueline Wiles and Olympic champion Corinne Suter completed their runs, with Wiles narrowly negotiating a tight final left-hand turn that had caught out Monsen.
English (US) ·