Lindsey Vonn Airlifted After Heavy Crash Days Before Milan Cortina Olympics
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn faced a frightening setback on Friday when she suffered a heavy fall during her final downhill race before the Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old champion crashed during a World Cup event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, marking her third crash in the competition and casting a shadow over her Olympic preparations.
Dramatic Incident on the Slopes
The incident occurred under challenging conditions with poor visibility on the course. Vonn lost control after landing awkwardly from a jump, sliding into the safety nets in the upper section. Following approximately five minutes of medical attention, she managed to stand up and slowly made her way to the finish area, appearing visibly uncomfortable.
Vonn was seen using her ski poles for balance, stopping multiple times, and repeatedly clutching her left knee. The downhill race was subsequently abandoned after her crash, adding to the tension surrounding the event.
Precautionary Medical Evacuation
After limping into a medical tent, Vonn was airlifted from the slope by helicopter as a precautionary measure. She was suspended from a hoist cable with two attendants during the evacuation. The US Ski Team later confirmed via social media that she was undergoing medical evaluation, though the extent of her injuries remained unclear.
Before entering the medical tent, Vonn appeared visibly anxious and shared a prolonged embrace with teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who had been leading the race when it was called off. International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann told reporters, "I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her. I don't know if it's really heavy and (if) she won't miss the Olympics. Let's wait for what the doctors are saying."
Olympic Participation in Question
The crash comes exactly one week before the Milan Cortina opening ceremony, raising concerns about Vonn's Olympic participation. She is scheduled to make her Olympic debut in the women's downhill on February 8, with additional events including the super-G and the newly introduced team combined event.
The women's alpine skiing events will take place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where Vonn holds the record with 12 World Cup victories. She had also planned to compete in a super-G event in Crans-Montana on Saturday, which would have been her final competition before the Games.
Remarkable Comeback Season
Vonn had made a dramatic return to elite competition last season at age 40 after nearly six years away from the sport. Racing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she has dominated the downhill circuit this season with an impressive record:
- Two wins and three additional podium finishes from five downhill races
- Seven podium finishes in eight World Cup races this season including super-G events
- Fourth place being her lowest result this season
Dangerous Race Conditions
The challenging conditions contributed to multiple crashes during the event. Vonn was the sixth skier to start Friday's downhill and had posted the fastest time at the first checkpoint before losing balance on the jump. She attempted to recover by raising her left arm and pole before spinning while braking and crashing into the nets.
Two other skiers experienced similar incidents:
- Austria's Nina Ortlieb fell in the same section as Vonn
- Norway's Marte Monsen crashed near the finish and was taken away on a sled
Despite these incidents, Jacqueline Wiles and Olympic champion Corinne Suter completed their runs, with Wiles narrowly negotiating a tight final left-hand turn that had caught out Monsen.
The skiing community now awaits medical updates on Vonn's condition as the Winter Olympics approach, hoping the legendary athlete can recover in time to compete in what could be her final Olympic appearance.
