Olympics hot on Vonn's mind

Winning the World Cup overall title is the ultimate landmark for an entire season of top racing, and in Lindsey Vonn’s case, since this is her second consecutive title, it shows an unprecedented maintenance and upkeep of a consistently blistering pace.

But of her many trophies, medals, globes, awards and accomplishments, there’s still a big notch that Vonn has yet to put in her belt.

“I have been thinking a lot about the Olympics, especially the last few weeks,” Vonn said in a teleconference Wednesday, after securing the second overall World Cup title of her career and winning the final World Cup downhill race of the season in Are, Sweden.  “What the Olympics mean to me, they mean everything. The overall titles have been incredible, but the Olympics are very special. Americans only watch those two weeks during the Olympics and probably don’t see your sport any other time. This is my time to show America skiing. I hope these Olympics are a chance to show people who I am.”
Winning the World Cup overall title is the ultimate landmark for an entire season of top racing, and in Lindsey Vonn’s case, since this is her second consecutive title, it shows an unprecedented maintenance and upkeep of a consistently blistering pace.

But of her many trophies, medals, globes, awards and accomplishments, there’s still a big notch that Vonn has yet to put in her belt.

“I have been thinking a lot about the Olympics, especially the last few weeks,” Vonn said in a teleconference Wednesday, after securing the second overall World Cup title of her career and winning the final World Cup downhill race of the season in Are, Sweden.  “What the Olympics mean to me, they mean everything. The overall titles have been incredible, but the Olympics are very special. Americans only watch those two weeks during the Olympics and probably don’t see your sport any other time. This is my time to show America skiing. I hope these Olympics are a chance to show people who I am.”

Vonn competed in the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City when she was just a teenager, taking sixth in the combined event and 32nd in slalom. By the time the 2006 Torino Games rolled around, she was a seasoned pro, well on her way to becoming one of the greatest American skiers of all time. Circumstances did not shine fortunately on her, however. After a horrible crash in downhill training, Vonn was airlifted to a hospital with serious bruises and a concussion and it looked as if she wouldn’t be competing at all. Not to be thwarted, Vonn hobbled to the Olympic downhill start gate and managed to finish eighth, though she was so sore she could hardly walk. She went on to take seventh in the Olympic super-G and 14th in slalom.

“What I’m carrying over most from the last Olympics is the disappointment of the crash and the fact I was able to come back and compete,” she said. “The disappointment made me realize how important skiing is to me and how much I love the sport. I give my life for skiing. I hope these (Vancouver 2010) Olympics will be my time.”

Vonn is not joking when she says she’s signed her life away to her sport. She pointed out that she did not go to a normal high school, and, concentrating on becoming a proficient speed skier with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, she never went to prom and made many sacrifices in order to focus on her skiing career.
Even in the summer, when many racers go camping with friends, climb mountains all over the world, relax and party, Vonn is in the gym six to eight hours a day, six days a week.

“In the summer, I don’t really have a life,” she said. “I don’t get to do the normal stuff most people get to do. I give all my time to skiing. I sacrificed all these things just so I can ski. I know how much I sacrificed, so I’m will to sacrifice even more to prepare for these Games.”

After the World Cup finals this weeks, Vonn will embark on a media tour before working with her Red Bull trainers in May and heading to Europe for six weeks in June and July to work on strengthening and physical fitness. After this, it’s back to the snow in New Zealand and Chile before the World Cup season begins again.

By the time the Vancouver Games roll around next February, Vonn should have more tools to strike with than just about any racer in history, including something she didn’t have at the last Olympics, success in big events. With the two silvers she won at the 2007 world championships and the two golds from this year’s champs in Val d’Isere, Vonn is armed at last with the confidence she needs to succeed when the most people are watching.

“It’s important to start out the season well and have that confidence,” she said, referring to the first slalom and downhill races of this season that she won right out of the gate. “What will give me the confience is the world champs this year. That’s the kind of confidence i’ve never had before going into an Olympics.”

And the thumb incident following her world championship gold medals? Though it’s impossible to tell when you see her racing and winning, Vonn’s injured thumb is still very painful and she’s undergoing therapy for it whenever she gets a chance. Even after winning Wednesday’s downhill in Are, Vonn could be seen asking her husband Thomas for help getting out of her bibs in time to step onto the prize podium.

“My thumb seems to always be getting in the way. I can never forget about it for too long,” she said. “When I’m skiing, I’ve got my hand duct taped to my pole. Whether buckling my boots or putting on my jacket, I’m constantly asking people for help. As far as my skiing goes … it hasn’t hindered my skiing too much.”