Vail’s Lindsey Vonn finished 18th Tuesday in a World Cup downhill training run at Lake Louise, Alberta, her first action in nearly a year. Four U.S. teammates finished ahead of her, led by Julia Mancuso, who was seventh.
After two more days of downhill training runs, there will be downhill races Friday and Saturday and a super-G on Sunday.
Lindsey Vonn in downhill training Tuesday at Lake Louise, Alberta, where she has won 14 times (AP Photo)
Vonn has won 14 times at Lake Louise, sometimes dubbed Lake Lindsey because of her dominance there, but she is taking a cautious approach to training runs after blowing out her right knee twice — at the 2013 world championships and again while training at Copper Mountain later that year.
“I’m saving all of the risks, and going 100 percent, for the races,” Vonn told reporters in the finish area after finishing 1.82 seconds behind pacesetter Lotte Smiseth Sejersted of Norway. “Trying to take it a little easier for the training.”
Still, it was a thrill for Vonn to get back in the starting gate after missing most of last season — including the Sochi Olympics, where she would have been favored to win multiple medals if healthy.
“It’s so nice to be back,” Vonn said. “I’m just really happy. I’ve been waiting a long time for this race and today was fun. I have a huge smile on my face, and it was a perfect way to start the season.”
