CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy – Lindsey Vonn said she was in “good” condition and had only a few bruises after falling near the end of Thursday's World Cup downhill practice.
A protective airbag worn by most downhill skiers was inflated under Vonn's racing suit to cushion her fall. Vonn got up and skated to the finish area of the Olimpia delle Tofane course, but then went into a tent for treatment. Her team said she did not have any broken bones.
“I'm fine,” Vonn told The Associated Press in an interview at the U.S. team's hotel later that day. “I caught a lot of air on the penultimate jump and landed and my skis went crazy.
“My butt hurts, but other than that I'm fine,” she added, hinting that she plans to race again this weekend.
Vonn, 40, recently returned to ski racing after nearly six years in retirement after undergoing titanium knee replacement surgery.
So how did her right knee (the one fitted with titanium) feel after the fall?
“No problem. Titanium doesn't break,” Bonn said. “Overall, my titanium knee is holding up much better than anyone expected.”
Vonn also told The Associated Press that he plans to compete in the 2026 Olympics in Cortina and then retire again.
“I never want to go beyond that,” Vonn said. “That would be a great way to end things once and for all.”
Last Sunday, Vonn finished fourth in the super-G in St. Anton, Austria.
Vonn holds a record of 12 wins in Cortina, the venue for next year's Milan-Cortina Olympics.
“Everything is getting faster and better. I'm working on everything one day at a time, so I hope to be on the podium this weekend,” Vonn said.
Another downhill training session is scheduled for Friday before the downhill and super-G races on Saturday and Sunday.
Vonn was rushing to get new equipment for his comeback, but broke one of his boots in a fall.
“So I don't know if I'm going to have to wear new boots tomorrow. I need to figure that out,” she said.
Italians Federica Brignone, Sofia Goggia and Nadia Delago finished the practice session 1-2-3.
