Now We’re Cookin’
Being teammates with Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso for the last 10 years, fellow ’84 Stacey Cook knows some- thing about success at the top level, but until her recent per- formances in Lake Louise, she’s been watching the podium ceremony from the crowd.
Cook said she believes many athletes are like a fine bottle of wine, getting better with age, and at 28, she has proved it’s never too late to have a career-best season. Cook finished last year ranked 10th in the downhill standings, tallying five top-10 results — her best was sixth at Cortina d’Ampezzo. She had only three total top-10s in all her years of racing before Nov. 30.
“This sport is an individual journey; everyone has their own path,” said Cook of comparisons to Vonn and Mancuso. “It’s easy to forget that. We’re all the same age, the three of us. And I’ve seen their success, developing into legends of the sport. For me, I’ve never been the best at anything. I’ve always been second or third. But it doesn’t matter who’s in front of me, it’s really a journey about myself and being my best.”
About the Author: Eric Williams
