Where to Ski And Snowboard - Lindsey Vonn wins 60th World Cup race

Lindsey Vonn wins 60th World Cup race

8th December 2014, by Abi Butcher

Skier Lindsey Vonn back in action in Lake Louise this weekend

After two years of rehab and two major knee operations, American skier Lindsey Vonn won her 60th World Cup race last weekend — describing it as a “dream day”.

Vonn, who turned 30 this year, won the downhill at Lake Louise in her second race back. She finished a “solid eighth” in her first race on Friday, but cracked a win on Saturday, 6 December in a time of 50.48 seconds, nearly half a second quicker than her team-mate, the second-placed Stacey Cook. Third was another American skier, Julia Mancuso.

“Today could not have been more perfect…to have come back from two major knee surgeries and get my 60th win today along with my two teammates in the first USA sweep ever… I can’t even begin to describe it,” said Vonn.

“Thank you to everyone who helped get me here. Love you guys.”

Earlier this year, Lindsey Vonn said she was devastated to miss defending her Olympic title at the Sochi Games because her knee was too unstable to compete. The skier tore her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in November 2013 following surgery 10 months previously.

Her boyfriend, the golfer Tiger Woods, paid tribute to Lindsey yesterday, saying ski racing was “scary”.

“I’m not going to die in my sport. You know, what they do and the surfaces they’re on, injected snow, it’s just scary how fast it is and how dangerous and how much focus you have to bring to the table,” said Woods.

“You know, probably the biggest thing besides that is our sport is about playing a physical chess match that takes time and lots and lots of patience, whereas theirs is just pure aggression.”