GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Lindsey Vonn is clearly not herself. Perhaps more worrisome, the Olympic downhill champion isn’t sure when she’ll be fully recovered from a head injury.
Attempting to defend her super-G title in the opening race of the world championships, Vonn finished seventh Tuesday, a dismal performance given her commanding strength in the event. She was 0.84 seconds behind Austrian winner Elisabeth Goergl.
“It’s like I’m skiing in a fog,” Vonn said.
The Vail skier lost time at each checkpoint and became increasingly shaky as she completed her run.
“I can’t process the information fast enough and that’s why I’m behind the course, all the bumps are throwing me around,” she said.
Vonn landed on her head during a spectacular fall in giant slalom training in Austria last week and pulled out of Friday’s World Cup slalom.
Vonn’s status is in sharp contrast to that of U.S. teammate Julia Mancuso, who took the silver medal. She finished a mere 0.05 seconds behind Goergl for her fourth career medal at the worlds, adding to her three Olympic medals. Still, she hasn’t won a race in nearly four years.
“I’m getting more and more confidence, and I will be looking for those five hundredths the rest of the week,” Mancuso said.
Germany’s Maria Riesch won the bronze.
Vonn had left open the possibility of skipping this race. But she called it her best shot for victory and couldn’t hold herself back. After all, in a streak stretching two years, she had reached the podium in her last 19 super-G’s, winning 13.
“I tried to trick myself into thinking I would be OK, and I think maybe it was the wrong decision to even try to race today, but I’m too stubborn,” she said. “I couldn’t give up.”
Vonn’s husband, Thomas, agreed the decision was not a good one.
“She’s been medically cleared, but there’s a difference to being able to perform at the highest level on the gnarliest hill at 80 mph,” he said. “It’s like driving your minivan to the grocery store or driving an F1 car. There’s a big difference.”
The women have downhill training today and Thursday, with the super-combined Friday. Then comes the downhill Sunday, with Vonn the defending champion. Vonn will assess her condition daily.
