Lindsey Vonn and Axsel Lund Svindal 2012: GEPA pictures
Lindsey Vonn Adds Aksel Lund Svindal to Comeback Team
In one of the most high-profile coaching announcements in recent ski racing memory, Lindsey Vonn has confirmed that Aksel Lund Svindal will join her team as a coach and equipment strategist for the 2025–26 Olympic season.
Vonn shared the news on Instagram, writing, “Our careers have interlinked for so many years and we have a great friendship with a lot of respect for each other.” She added, “Since we’ve both been longtime HEAD Ski athletes, the partnership makes perfect sense” [@lindseyvonn, Instagram, Aug. 6].
The move brings together two of the most decorated athletes in Alpine skiing history. Combined, Vonn and Svindal own 118 World Cup victories and 218 podium finishes — not to mention six Olympic gold medals and more than a dozen World Championship titles. They both retired from racing in 2019 and now reunite with a shared goal: helping Vonn chase an Olympic medal at age 41.
From World Cup Rivals to Olympic Allies
Their paths have long overlapped. They won their first overall World Cup titles in the same season, 2008, shared the super-G globe in 2012, and even retired at the same race in Åre, Sweden, in 2019.
“I’ve known Aksel for over 20 years,” Vonn said in an interview published by the International Ski & Snowboard Federation. “We trained together in Chile and Colorado, and even retired at the same race. Having him by my side now — not just as a friend, but as a coach — is something truly special” [FIS, “Legend Meets Legend,” Aug. 6, 2025].
Vonn returns with 82 World Cup victories, 138 podiums, four overall titles, 16 discipline globes, and three Olympic medals, including downhill gold at Vancouver 2010. Svindal brings deep expertise and credibility, with 36 World Cup wins, 80 podiums, and six discipline titles — including five in super-G and two in downhill. He earned Olympic gold in super-G at Vancouver and in downhill at PyeongChang in 2018.
Both endured severe injuries throughout their careers but repeatedly returned to the top of the sport. That shared resilience forms another layer of connection as they enter this new phase.
A Groundbreaking Partnership
Svindal’s role will include coaching Vonn on tactics and helping her refine her equipment setup. As fellow HEAD athletes, they share technical knowledge that provides a strong foundation for collaboration.
“There are very few people in the world I would trust when it comes to line, technique, and equipment — and Aksel is absolutely one of them,” Vonn told FIS. “He knows exactly what it takes to be the best of the best.”
Vonn said she wants Svindal’s help in embracing the more aggressive race tactics often seen in men’s skiing, while also fine-tuning her strategy for different types of courses.
“There will be sections of the racecourse where she can be faster than anyone,” Svindal said in the FIS article. “Sometimes it comes down to strategy when looking at a course. You ask: Where can this race be won?”
Chasing Something Special
Svindal, 42, retired in February 2019 after a legendary career with the Norwegian national team. He won the overall World Cup title in 2009, along with season titles in downhill, giant slalom, super-G, and combined. His measured demeanor, technical expertise, and experience rebounding from injury make him an ideal mentor for Vonn’s ambitious comeback.
“When one of the greatest to ever do the sport calls you up and wants your help, you’re honored and flattered,” Svindal said. “I was a little surprised that I said yes to her offer, but I do miss the sport, and I really do think I can make a difference.”
Vonn agreed: “Some men have questioned my choices in the past. But Aksel has always backed me. He believes in me — and I believe in him.”
With the 2026 Cortina Olympics on the horizon, the comeback story of Lindsey Vonn just gained another layer of intrigue. Armed with belief, friendship, and one of the most decorated coaches in ski racing history, she’s aiming for a historic return to the podium.
Sources
- Lindsey Vonn, Instagram post, Aug. 6, 2025
- International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS)
About the Author: SR Staff Report
