Lindsey Vonn is an Olympic Gold Medalist and the most successful American woman skier in World Cup history.
Born in 1984, Vonn had her earliest experiences on skis falling down and picking herself up in a state not especially known for mountains, Minnesota. But with a grandfather and a father who were competitive skiers, little Lindsey started carving the local hill at age three. Her talent as a small child proved so big that the whole family considered moving in order to make better training opportunities possible. Eventually, her parents, brothers and sister all moved to Vail.
The youngster improved quickly. At age 14, she became the only female American ever to win Italy’s Trofeo Topolino contest – dubbed “Junior-Junior Worlds” – and her name was entered into the Golden Book of Champions alongside girls who had grown up to win the World Cup Overall title.
In her initial year of top-level competition, 15-year-old Lindsey took the podium at several NorAm events. Her first International Ski Federation (FIS) victory came in 2001; that same year she also captured a Super Series win, as well as the bronze in Combined at the U.S. National Championships. In the same season she raced in her first Slalom World Cup. In the Super G in Val d’Isere she won her first World Cup points coming 26th.
When Lindsey was named a member of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team in 2002, she was still under the radar, but a sixth-place finish in Combined put her on everyone’s screen. She focused all her energy into building speed and consistency. The effort paid off with two U.S. National Championships, plus numerous medals at the Junior World Championships and World Cup events.
Her progress continued in 2003, with a silver at the Junior World Championships, as well as a silver and a bronze at the U.S. Nationals. She continued to progress in 2003/04, winning two golds at the U.S. Championships, two medals at Junior Worlds, and making her first World Cup podium in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The following season was even more exciting, as Lindsey captured her first victory in a World Cup race and attended her first World Championships. She logged 13 top-five finishes in World Cup and World Championship events, standing on the podium six times, ending the season ranked sixth overall, in the world. Determined to capitalize on the momentum as she headed into an Olympic year, Lindsey spent the summer training intensely in Oregon and Chile. The result? Better form than ever before.
Lindsey’s momentum was building in the 2005/06 season. She dashed out of the gates in December to capture the victory in the Downhill events of Lake Louise, Canada and Val d’Isere, France.
The traditional award of this race in France is a cow, which she happily received. The cow is appropriately named Olympe, and Lindsey still keeps the pet on a farm near the U.S. Ski Team’s training base in Austria.
As she headed to Torino in 2006, she was a top hopeful for the Women’s U.S. Ski Team. Unfortunately, this would not be her time. During a practice run, Kildow had a crash, which sent her to the hospital. She was shaken, but released. Lindsey hadn’t come this far not to race. She finished 8th in Downhill, 7th in Super G and 14th in the Slalom, despite the harrowing crash.
Lindsey crashed again in Austria, in October of 2006. She came back to place first in Downhill at Lake Louise (where she always seems to shine) with second in another Downhill and Super G. Following her victory at Lake Louise she went on to win the Val d’Isere Downhill, the San Sicario/Sestriere Super G and six other podiums. At the World Championships that year Lindsey celebrated winning two silvers, in Downhill and in the Super G. The season ended as usual with an injury from a fall. This time-a pulled tendon.
In the 2007/08 season, Lindsey was pushed by the Red Bull Athletes’ Special Projects into the best form of her life. She won the Super Combination in St. Anton and five downhill races - of course the one in Lake Louise, but also the brutal test of courage in St. Anton and the classics in Cortina, Sestriere and Crans Montana. The series of victories not only garnered her the top rung in the downhill World Cup but also fulfilled her childhood dream: the victory in the Overall World Cup.
In early 2010, Vonn won three straight World Cup races in Haus im Ennstal, Austria. She became the first American to earn a victory on three consecutive days and the first woman to do so since 1997. As a result of her cumulative accomplishments, NBC's Universal Sports named her Female Athlete of the Decade in January 2010.
In March 2010 Vonn won the final super-G race of the season, breaking the tie she had with Bode Miller as the most decorated American skier. She won the race in 1 minute, 19.30 seconds. Vonn also picked up titles in the downhill, the super-G and the combined events. Vonn's 11 World Cup wins during the 2010 season is a new American record.
In December 2010 Vonn was named 'Female Athlete of the Year' by the Associated Press. She is the first skier — male or female — to win one of the annual AP awards, which began in 1931.
The 2011 season was one of the most fascinating seasons in alpine skiing history. Lindsey fell 3 points short of a repeat for the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup overall title due to weather conditions canceling the final two races. Lindsey still had another great year, skiing away from Lenzerheide with three globes, eight wins, a first-ever GS podium and a highlight reel of recoveries that rivals even Bode Miller.
Today, Lindsey Vonn is a role model for American girls, as Olympic Gold Medalist Picabo Street once was to her. She’s even more of a celebrity in Europe’s alpine nations, where skiing is the passion of the entire population. In May 2010 Lindsey was named 'Sexiest Athlete' in Victoria's Secret 'What is Sexy?' List: Bombshell Edition.
Lindsey married Thomas Vonn, an ex-racing skier, in 2007.
Lindsey Vonn, Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion skier, is available exclusively through IMG Speakers bureau for speaking engagements. Lindsey Vonn is also available for Olympic appearances, corporate hospitality events, meet and greets, and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Lindsey Vonn.
