Skiing

American skier Lindsey Vonn announced Wednesday that she'll end her World Cup season due to a knee injury suffered Saturday.

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Vonn Skipping Rest of Season To Focus on Recovery

Wednesday, March 2

Vonn confirmed the decision on her official Facebook page. She called it "one of the toughest decisions" of her career to leave the circuit while leading the World Cup standings. But she noted further testing showed her injury was more serious than initially believed when she returned to action Sunday:

After the Super Combined on Sunday, I went to Barcelona where more precise MRI and CT equipment was available and scans were performed on Tuesday morning. Those images showed that there was not just 1 hairline fracture, but in fact 3. And the fractures are not hairline, but instead they are significant enough that they are not sufficiently stable to permit me to safely continue skiing.

Vonn, who stated the injury is a fractured tibial plateau, added that continuing to race on the damaged fragments could lead to substantial surgery, which would put her future at risk. She didn't want to take that chance ahead of next year's World Championships and the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

She concluded: "While I am confident that I'm making the right decision, it still doesn't make this decision any easier. Thanks to everyone who supported me and stood by me through it all. Best of luck to all the World Cup competitors. I'll see you again next year."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLyd-WBL4dU

Vonn was locked in a tight battle with Lara Gut of Switzerland before the injury. She held a 28-point lead in the standings with eight races left in the campaign. She was the leader in the downhill and Super G rankings and was tied at the top in the combined.

It's easy to understand why it was such a tough choice. She could have accepted the inherent risk and tried to fight through the remaining races with an eye on the championship. But clearly the bigger goals on the horizon made her take the cautious route.

That's probably the right call given her injury history. The most notable setback was a torn ACL and MCL sprain, which forced her to miss the 2014 Winter Games.

Vonn is hoping to avoid a similar fate over the next two years by making the difficult decision to shut things down now and focus on her recovery. She does emerge from the season with new records for downhill victories and wins at the Cortina resort, though.

Vonn didn't provide any type of timetable for her return to the slopes beyond saying she'll see everybody next year. She'll hope once that day does arrive that she can avoid any further health issues after a run of bad luck in recent years.

American Lindsey Vonn willed her way through a World Cup skiing event in Andorra on Sunday despite dealing with a knee injury, but rival Lara Gut was left unimpressed by her biggest competition.  

According to Dan Quarrell of Eurosport, the 24-year-old Swiss skier accused Vonn of being overly dramatic in an interview with ZDF in Germany (h/t Swiss outlet Blick): "She always makes theater. It is not the first time and will not be the last time."

As seen in this video, courtesy of HorsPiste on Twitter, Vonn was part of a scary crash Saturday during a super-G run:

Inquiétude autour de @lindseyvonn évacuée après sa chute à #Soldeu. pic.twitter.com/1SqAg6qHlh

— Chalet ❄️ Club (@ChaletClub_) February 27, 2016

She later revealed on Instagram she had a hairline fracture in her left knee:

The 31-year-old former Olympic gold medalist left the door open for competing Sunday despite the nature of her ailment, and she did precisely that, finishing 13th and preserving her World Cup lead of 28 points over Gut.

Following the gutsy performance, Vonn had this to say on Twitter:

No one can ever call me a whimp. #allheart

— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 28, 2016

Vonn has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, with the most significant being a severe injury to her right knee, which forced her to miss the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The all-time record holder for World Cup downhill victories has bounced back in a big way, but staying healthy has proven to be a major obstacle.

That didn't stop her from competing in Andorra, however, the door could be open for Gut to make a run at her first career, all-around World Cup title.

Gut's comments may very well be a form of gamesmanship meant to get inside the head of the ailing Vonn, but the fact that Vonn fought through a knee fracture suggests her mental toughness may be unflappable.

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Olympic champion skier Lindsey Vonn has dealt with a number of injuries in recent years, and the American star suffered another knee injury Saturday but has since returned to competition.

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Vonn Returns to Action After Crash

Sunday, Feb. 28

Nick Zaccardi of NBC Sports noted Vonn's return, adding she finished 13th in a World Cup super combined before going on to finish 23rd in the slalom.

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Vonn Comments on Return

Sunday, Feb. 28

No one can ever call me a whimp. #allheart

— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 28, 2016

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Vonn Transported off Slope After Crash

Saturday, Feb. 27

As seen in this video, courtesy of HorsPiste on Twitter, Vonn crashed during a super-G run in Andorra:

Inquiétude autour de @lindseyvonn évacuée après sa chute à #Soldeu. pic.twitter.com/1SqAg6qHlh

— Chalet ❄️ Club (@ChaletClub_) February 27, 2016

Vonn Comments on Injury

Saturday, Feb. 27

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Vonn Has Dealt with Injuries in Recent Years

The 31-year-old Vonn is a two-time gold medalist in the World Championships, and she won gold and bronze in the downhill and super-G, respectively, at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Vonn fractured her ankle this past summer, and a major knee injury prevented her from competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

She has designs on making her Olympic return at Pyeongchang in 2018, but building momentum has proved difficult with so many ailments piling up.

Even so, she continues to thrive when healthy, as she won both the downhill and super-G World Cup titles in 2015. She leads the downhill, super-G and overall standings this year.

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Bill Johnson, the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing, died Friday at the age of 55 in Gresham, Oregon.

According to the Associated Press, via ESPN.com, the Los Angeles native succumbed to an illness brought on by a series of strokes in recent years.

Johnson became a household name in 1984 when he took gold at the Sarajevo Olympics, as no American man had ever won an alpine skiing gold medal.

Andrew Weibrecht, 2014 Winter Olympics super-G silver medalist, credited Johnson with helping the United States develop into a skiing superpower.

"Bill was an unbelievable fighter since his injury. He went through a lot. It's sad," Weibrecht said. "He was the guy that really jump-started American downhill racing. Nothing had really happened much up until '84 when Bill came and had that fantastic run in Sarajevo, and that same year he won Wengen."

During a comeback attempt in 2001 ahead of the 2002 Olympics, Johnson suffered a brain injury in a training crash and was in a coma for three weeks.

Many expressed their sadness regarding Johnson's death on Twitter, including American downhill skier Steven Nyman:

RIP Bill Johnson, one of the pioneers who paved the way for the #americandownhiller https://t.co/cc8pIX4WmA

— Steven Nyman (@Steven_Nyman) January 22, 2016

Johnson was undoubtedly a pioneer in the realm of American skiing, and the sport may have never taken off in the United States if not for his remarkable effort in 1984. His accomplishments will surely continue to have a positive impact on USA skiing for many years to come.  

Lindsey Vonn further bolstered her case as one of the greatest skiers of all time with a record-tying 36th career World Cup downhill victory Saturday in Zauchensee, Austria.

According to Nick Zaccardi of NBC Olympic Talk, Vonn tied the record previously held by Austria's Annemarie Moser-Proll. The American also extended her own record for most overall World Cup wins with 72.

Following the triumph, Vonn posed for a photo with Moser-Proll:

Another race, another record! Couldn't be happier! I'm honored that the legendary A.M. Pröll was there today! #LV72 pic.twitter.com/YRcwTdsk3m

— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) January 9, 2016

Per Zaccardi, she was surprised she was able to ease her way to a one-second victory over Canada's Larisa Yurkiw after a dominant first run:

I definitely didn't expect such a big advantage going into the second run. I wasn't trying to do anything special. With two runs, I figured if I was behind in the first run, I can maybe ski a little bit more aggressively in the second.

I skied a little bit more conservatively second run [with the large time advantage]. It's definitely more pressure in the second run when you're leading.

With the win, Vonn moved into second place in the World Cup standings, and she also picked up her first top-of-the-podium result in three races.

Vonn has suffered no shortage of injuries over the course of her career, including a fractured ankle in August and a knee ailment that kept her out of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Although the 2018 Winter Olympics are still two years away, Vonn appears healthy and at the top of her game at the age of 31.

Assuming she continues to race like she did Saturday, she has a chance to add to an Olympic medal haul that already includes one gold and one bronze from the 2010 Vancouver Games.

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Matthias Mayer, the 2014 Olympic gold medalist in downhill skiing, suffered fractured vertebrae after a crash during Saturday's Val Gardena World Cup, which required surgery.

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Mayer to Miss Remainder of Season Despite Earlier Prognosis

Sunday, Dec. 20

The Austrian Ski Federation confirmed the end of Mayer's season, per AFP (h/t Yahoo Sports) after the surgery revealed a third fractured vertebrae. On Saturday, the Associated Press (via NBC Sports) reported members of the Austrian team announced that Mayer suffered a fractured vertebrae and "will likely be sidelined for only a month."

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Mayer Airlifted After Scary Crash

Saturday, Dec. 19

The crash appeared to be serious. Mayer seemed to catch his ski on one of the flagpoles as he was in the air, landing on his back with his head bouncing off the ground. He was immobile while sliding down the hill. 

However, the AP noted medical personnel got to Mayer quickly and were able to inflate a radical air bag in a hurry to stabilize his body.

“A crash can never be something favorable,” International Ski Federation technical expert Gunter Hujara said, per the AP. “(But) maybe we have seen here he was saved from a spine injury today.”

Six-time Olympic medal-winning skier Bode Miller has been out of action for most of 2015, but the 38-year-old star conceded Wednesday that a return may be on the horizon.

According to the Associated Press (h/t NBC Olympic Talk), the 2010 Vancouver Games super combined gold medalist revealed the odds are in favor of him returning to action in some capacity due largely to his new business relationship with Bomber Ski:

I don't commit to coming back. But I don't commit to quitting, either. But I think that there's a good likelihood that I do a few races, because of the benefits of Bomber. It's going to be an exciting time with a new company. 

I think there's enough benefit for me inside of that, that it really is worthwhile. How it goes down, I don't know.

Miller has been on the shelf since February after crashing in the super-G in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and undergoing surgery for a leg injury.

He was scheduled to take part in a training run on Wednesday on the very same hill that put him on the injured list 10 months ago.

An official decision regarding his future has yet to be made, but if the Easton, New Hampshire, native does make a comeback in competitive skiing, it won't be as a full-time World Cup skier.

"The commitment for my family is pretty extreme these days," Miller said. "But I can see doing some racing. I'm never going to do the full circuit again—that's way too time-consuming and demanding. I need to manage how that all goes down."

Even if Miller decides to only compete in races here and there, he still believes he is capable of running well and potentially even winning.

"There's no question I have the ability to win," Miller said. "There are young skiers out there who are fit and hungry and charging and that's the way it always is. The kids are good. But yeah, I have no doubt I can still be relevant. It's just a matter of managing it with the rest of my priorities."

Miller is one of the most decorated American skiers of all time, but when asked in October about the possibility of competing in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, he was down on the idea, per the Associated Press (h/t NBC Olympic Talk).

"It would be a cool thing to share with your kids, competing at a high level," Miller said. "And fitness-wise, my body feels excellent. You never know, but I would say it's really unlikely I'd go in '18."

Miller has defied the odds before as he surprised many by winning bronze in super-G at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The fact that Miller is open to a return to skiing gives fans of the sport a sliver of hope that the Olympics could be a possibility, but he has very little left to prove at this point in his career.

Even if Miller never skis on the world's biggest stage again, it is fair to say that the five-time world championship gold medalist is among the most successful male skiers of his era.

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Lindsey Vonn has had an eventful 2015, to say the least. The American skier's relationship with Tiger Woods came to an end, and she's been working her way back from serious knee injuries.

Speaking to Bill Pennington of the New York Times, Vonn talked about her return to the sport in which she has won two Olympic medals:

I was alone this summer for the first time in a long time. And it was good for me to be on my own. I worked really hard in the gym and remembered that I'm the one making my decisions, and I'm strong enough to do that.

Sometimes I get reliant on other people. I had time to focus on myself. Even if it was a hard summer.

Vonn, 31, had ACL reconstruction surgery in January 2014, and she told Pennington her family wanted her to walk away from skiing.

"After my second knee surgery, pretty much everyone in my family said, 'Lindsey, don't you want to walk when you're older?' And I said, 'Don't worry, there's going to be some new medical procedure and I'll have new knees and it'll be no problem.' It never crossed my mind to retire."

Vonn also said she has a three-year plan to "put an exclamation point" on her career, including a return to the Olympics in 2018.

On the subject of Woods and their relationship, Vonn brought up her ex-husband, Thomas Vonn:

Thomas was really my first boyfriend, so I didn't have a lot of dating experience. So jumping into a relationship right away after getting a divorce was probably not the smartest move on my part.

I don't regret anything. I loved Tiger, and I had an amazing three years with him. But it was a learning experience as well. With every relationship, you learn what you need and what you want in a partner.

Vonn's focus right now is on regaining her physical strength so she can conquer the skiing world as she did at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, where she won a gold medal in the downhill event and bronze in the super-G.

"I have a limited window to accomplish my ski-racing dreams," Vonn said, "so I don't want to give that up for really anything."

Gus Kenworthy is one of the best freestyle skiers in the world, and he is now one of the most prominent openly gay athletes as well.

The 24-year-old 2014 Olympic silver medalist officially came out Thursday by posting a tweet with this photo of an upcoming ESPN The Magazine cover:

I am gay. pic.twitter.com/086ayvChq2

— Gus Kenworthy (@guskenworthy) October 22, 2015

Kenworthy—who was born in England but has long lived in Colorado and represents the United States in international competition—has wrestled with the decision to come out for much of his life.

According to Alyssa Roenigk of ESPN The Magazine, he has known he was gay since he was five years old. He contemplated suicide at times rather than coming out.

Per Roenigk, Kenworthy decided to come out only after reaching the world No. 1 ranking in freestyle skiing on the heels of taking silver at the 2014 Sochi Games.

"I never got to be proud of what I did 
in Sochi because I felt so horrible about what I didn't do," Kenworthy said. "I didn't want to come out as the silver medalist from Sochi. I wanted to come out as the best freeskier in the world."

In addition, he laid out his goals moving forward after taking one of the biggest steps of his life, according to Roenigk.

"I want to be the guy who comes out, wins s--t and is like, 'I'm taking names.'"

There has been an outpouring of support for Kenworthy since he came out, especially from those within the skiing community.

That includes fellow freeskier Tom Wallisch:

Proud of you @guskenworthy! You're the man!

— Tom Wallisch (@TWallisch) October 22, 2015

Women's freestyle skier Grete Eliassen offered her thoughts as well:

So proud of you @guskenworthy You have always impressed me with your skiing, kindness and courage. But today, I am in awe.

— Grete Eliassen (@GRETEGIRL) October 22, 2015

Former St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam may still stand as the biggest name in sports to come out as openly gay, but Kenworthy may have changed the game since he is the best his sport has to offer.

Kenworthy will be front and center at the next Winter Olympics in 2018 as well as upcoming X Games events, so his announcement certainly has a chance to be among the most influential yet.

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Skier Lindsey Vonn's road to the 2018 Winter Olympics hit another speed bump on Thursday as the 30-year-old Saint Paul, Minnesota, native is once again dealing with an injury, this time a "small fracture" in her ankle.

Vonn has characterized it as a "minor setback."

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Vonn Shares Image of Injured Ankle

Monday, Aug. 17

Vonn shared the image on Instagram, revealing the swelling in her ankle after the injury:

Vonn holds the all-time women's record for World Cup victories with 67, and she took gold and bronze in the downhill and super-G, respectively, at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The three-time Olympian was expected to be a major player at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, but she was unable to compete after suffering a severe knee injury.

Vonn has bounced back this year to become the downhill and super-G world champion, but she must now overcome another obstacle.

Maria Hofl-Riesch, who is one of Vonn's chief rivals on the slopes but also one of her closest friends, offered words of encouragement:

.@LindseyVonn Damn!! Wishing you all the best!! 

— Maria Höfl-Riesch (@Maria) August 13, 2015

Although the severity of Vonn's ankle issue is unknown, she has both time and a history of perseverance on her side.

The next Winter Olympics won't take place until 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which means she can take a cautious approach. Also, Vonn has already proved capable of overcoming serious injuries and returning to the pinnacle of skiing.

Vonn has unfinished business after missing the 2014 Olympics, and this latest setback will be a true test.

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