Culture November 14, 2024

Lindsey Vonn coming out of retirement to rejoin US Ski Team

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Lindsey Vonn is ready to hit the slopes as a professional skier once again.

The 40-year-old announced Thursday she will be coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team for the 2024-25 season, six years after her most recent Olympics.

In the caption of a video shared on Instagram of Vonn taking off down a slope, she wrote, "Well, it's off to Colorado... I hope the @usskiteam uniform still fits… 😉 #onedayatatime."

The post drew mass attention with celebratory comments flooding in, including from the official Olympics account, which wrote, "Welcome back!"

U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed the news in a press release, sharing Vonn's comments on the decision and the excitement from the organization to welcome her back.

Dan Istitene/Getty Images, FILE
Lindsey Vonn of the United States reacts at the finish during the Ladies' Alpine Combined on day thirteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Yongpyong Alpine Centre on Feb. 22, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.

"Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey," Vonn said, adding that she wants to "continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women" on the American team.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said Vonn's "dedication and passion towards Alpine skiing is inspiring, and we're excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here."

Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist. She earned a gold medal for downhill and bronze for super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Games and a bronze in the downhill at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.

Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images, FILE
Lindsey Vonn (bronze) from the US standing on the podium during the award ceremony of the women's alpine skiing event of the 2018 Winter Olympiucs in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 21, 2018.

She previously won four World Cup overall championships and has eight world championship medals.

Vonn's career was plagued with a slew of injuries including broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments, which in 2019 cemented her move into retirement.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images, FILE
Bronze medallist Lindsey Vonn of the United States celebrates during the victory ceremony for the Ladies' Downhill on day 12 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Jeongseon Alpine Centre on Feb. 21, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard said that Vonn is back with the team effective immediately and she has been training in recent months.

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As of publication, there were no details on the specific races in which she will aim to compete.

The next Winter Olympics will be held in Italy in February 2026.