Lindsey Vonn announced she will be coming out of retirement to participate in the World Cup circuit this winter.
Vonn, 40, announced Thursday she would return to the United States Ski Team.
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“But I’m not going to put myself in a position to fail,” the three-time Olympic medalist told The New York Times. “My goal is to enjoy this, and hopefully that road takes me to World Cup races. I wouldn’t be back on the U.S. ski team if I didn’t have intentions.”
Vonn’s journey back will be a unique one as she gets to join the team without having to qualify thanks to her decorated past.
U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Famer Tom Kelly worked closely with Vonn. He also founded Tom Kelly Communications which is a public relations company focusing on Olympic sports based in Park City, Utah. He spoke to KSL NewsRadio 102.7FM in Salt Lake City.
“She has been in touch with the ski team for some time, and there actually is a provision that was recently put in place by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation that does allow her as a past champion to come back without a qualifying process,” Kelly said on Friday.
There’s a section in The International Ski and Snowboard Competition Rules that states special regulations can be issued.
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For the Olympic Winter Games, FIS World Ski Championships, FIS World Cup and the FIS Continental Cups special regulations may be issued.
Essentially, there are various rules stating there are special regulations throughout the ICR, which was just updated in recent weeks.
Kelly was asked if it’s possible we see Vonn in the 2026 Winter Olympics, and he said, “anything’s possible.”
He also made a point that the women’s downhill, even for alpine skiing, will take place at Milano Cortina, where Vonn holds the record with 12 career World Cup victories.
Vonn retired in 2019 after a slew of injuries saying she couldn’t continue ski racing. However, months followed in which she got back on the slopes again and didn’t feel pain in her knee following replacement surgery.
“I had a smile so wide it was coming through the back of my helmet,” she said.
Vonn plans to return to the ski team as soon as next month.
