Lindsey Vonn Delays Racing Comeback by Another Month

Snow queen says she's holding off getting back into World Cup competition so she can better prepare for next year's Olympics

By Josh Grossberg Oct 23, 2013 6:18 PMTags
Awesome Olympians, Lindsey VonnClive Mason/Getty Image

Lindsey Vonn has hit a rough patch in her bid to hit the slopes again.

Seven months after injuring her right knee after a scary crash at the Alpine World Championships in Schladming, Austria, the Olympic skier announced on her website that she's postponing her return to competition to give herself more time to get back up to speed.

"My training camp in Soelden went very well and I made great progress, but I feel that I need more training before I start racing again," wrote Vonn about her decision to skip this weekend's races at Soelden, which kicks off the new World Cup season.

The 29-year-old alpine champ suffered a torn ACL and MCL and a bone fracture in her right knee following last February's mishap that forced her to undergo surgery.

Months of rehabilitation followed but Vonn decided to put this first race on ice, she said, to give her a better shot at going for the gold in Sochi, Russia, early next year.

As a result, the first official competitive World Cup race for Tiger Woods' girlfriend will now take place at Beaver Creek, Colo on Nov. 29.

"Patience is not my strong suit so not racing is very hard for me but it will only make me more excited for the next one," she added. "I will go home to Vail and continue my preparation for the Beacer Creek races and my ultimate goal in February!"

Vonn, of course, is the most decorated skier in U.S. history having won four World Cup championships and becoming the first American woman to win the gold medal in downhill skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

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