Lindsey Vonn Wins World Cup Thanks To Skiing Origins

Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn recorded her fourth consecutive World Cup victory on Saturday in Are, Sweden, winning the giant slalom event. This is because of her initial training during after-school nightly training sessions she underwent Buck Hill in her home state of Minnesota.

Vonn went on the shortened course because of strong winds and hold on to her lead in the second run and clocked a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 4.70 seconds. Even though she specializes in downhill and super-G, she has won four giant slalom events in her career. This one was no different because of the way the course was lit and it reminded of her when she was skiing in Minnesota. “I just like it. … It’s like the same landscape,” said Vonn. “When I was a kid I always trained under the lights after school. So I really like racing under the lights. It’s really fun.” Eva-Maria Brem of Austria finished second with a margin of 0.07 seconds behind Vonn while discipline leader Federica Brignone of Italy was third with a margin of 0.35 seconds.

Vonn had to take over the event because of U.S. teammate Mikaela Shiffrin having to miss the event because of a warmup crash. Shiffrin had to be taken to a hospital, so an MRI can be taken to see what damage was done to her right knee. Vonn’s lead over Shiffrin increased in the overall standings to 104 points while Lara Gut of Switzerland is third overall and 122 points back. This win was the 71st World Cup win for Vonn who is second behind Ingemark Stenmark’s mark of 86 victories. “I’m just trying to win. Every time I’m in the start I try to ski as fast as I can. I have nothing to lose and I think that makes me a dangerous competitor, because I’m not afraid of falling or losing,” Vonn said.

Article by Ryan Kappy