Vail’s Lindsey Vonn conducted a teleconference Sunday with a half-dozen reporters, including Denver Post Olympics writer John Meyer, following her successful weekend in Lake Louise, Alberta. Vonn won two World Cup downhills and was second in a super-G, taking the lead in the World Cup overall title chase. Vonn won the past two World Cup titles.
Q: Having such a successful weekend gives you a lot of momentum going over to Europe for the heart of the World Cup schedule, doesn’t it?
Vonn: Definitely. It was a good way to get my confidence back up again after a disappointing weekend in Aspen. I know I’ve been skiing well in training, and it hasn’t been showing through in my results. This weekend was just what I was hoping for. It was a perfect way to start the speed races (downhill and super-G) and gives me a lot of confidence going forward.
Q: The picture of you with blood all over your face (after bumping her knee on her chin and biting her tongue) going across the finish line in Friday’s downhill is famous already. When you see that picture, what do you think?
Vonn: I think it looks pretty gross (laughing). It was weird. I guess it’s the only time I’ve ever had blood coming out of my face crossing the finish line. It was a cool race. It was tough conditions, I made a mistake and cut my tongue open, but I kept fighting and I was really happy to get the win.
Q: Just for the record, you were wearing a mouth guard, right?
Vonn: Yeah, I think that’s the only reason I didn’t completely chop off the side of my tongue.
Q: What is it about you and Lake Louise? You’ve won that downhill five consecutive times now.
Vonn: I’m not sure. I just think the course and the hill suit my strengths, and I have a lot of confidence from having good results here over the past few years. It just gives you a lot of peace of mind when you’re standing in the start. I know exactly what to do, I know what line to take, and I just have to go out there and be aggressive and execute.
Q: Standing in the finish line in Aspen after having a couple of disappointing results, you talked about how you were already over it and how you were looking forward to Lake Louise. How do you flip that switch?
Vonn: I just looked at Aspen for what it was. I hit a rock in the GS. I made a mistake and got shot out of the course in slalom. That’s just part of ski racing. You can’t get hung up on things like that. You have to stay positive. I knew Lake Louise was a good hill for me and it would be a good way to boost my confidence. It helped me get over Aspen really quickly and I’m really happy with the way this weekend went. It was exactly what I needed.
Q: Before the season you expressed a lot of confidence in your new equipment (Vonn left Rossignol for Head), but it’s got to be encouraging to pick up two firsts and a second on new gear, especially on a glider’s course like Lake Louise.
Vonn: Definitely, I’m really, really happy with all my equipment. It’s always tough when you switch to get a fast quiver of skis, but (ski tech Heinz Haemmerle) has done a fantastic job and all my skis are running really well. It makes me feel really good about all the decisions I’ve made.
Q: What’s up with Alice McKennis (a 20-year-old Glenwood Springs racer who finished 18th and 10th, having had only one previous World Cup start)? Seems like she might be the next Colorado star in the making.
Vonn: She skied awesome. It’s pretty incredible to watch her improve since last year. She’s been training well, and it’s really cool to see her progress and be getting such great results. Her 10th place (Saturday) was extraordinary. She’s got a lot of talent and she’s working hard. It’s always fun to have girls like that on the team. We’re all pushing each other and it’s a fun atmosphere now on the team.
Q: What’s more surprising, that a girl finishes 10th in her third World Cup downhill, or that tiny Ski Sunlight produced a downhiller?
Vonn: It doesn’t really matter where you come from, as long as you work hard and you have the drive. She definitely does. She wants to win and she’s out there pushing herself every day. It’s showing in her results.
