American skiing great Lindsey Vonn confirmed Friday that she will make her World Cup comeback in St. Moritz from December 21 to 22 at the age of 40, almost six years after her retirement.
“She’s back,” Red Bull, the skier’s sponsor, wrote on Instagram, posting a video of the former Olympian and world champion smiling: “I hear St. Moritz is nice this time of year.”
Vonn left the sport in 2019 after a series of serious injuries, but she has been pain-free since having her right knee replaced in April.
“So I have news: my body is finally put back together,” Vonn said.
“I realize one thing: life is very short and if you have the opportunity, you should take it. There is nothing I love more than ski racing.”
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Vonn was the most decorated women’s skier with 82 World Cup victories when she retired. Her mark has since been overshadowed by compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin’s 99.
She applied for a ‘wild card’ entry to compete in two super-G races in St. Moritz on December 21 and 22, taking advantage of a new invitation system that allows former stars to return after years away from competition return to the elite circuit and better starting positions.
Last week she competed in two super-Gs in a lower-level competition at Copper Mountain in the United States, finishing 19th and 24th, each time just over two seconds behind the winner.
“It was a success. Some say I was slow, but I think it was great,” she said.
Before returning to competition in Switzerland, the American will open this weekend at the World Cup in Beaver Creek, which will feature a downhill and a super-G.