Lindsey Vonn has been named in the United States Alpine ski team for the 2026-27 World Cup season, even as uncertainty continues over her future in the sport following surgery after a heavy crash at the Milano Cortina Olympics in February.
The US team said in a statement that all named athletes had qualified based on existing Alpine criteria. Despite her injuries, Ms Vonn was ranked 12th overall last season and fifth in the final downhill standings, and was the highest-ranked American woman in Super-G.
The long road back
The three-time Olympic medallist, who turns 42 this month, suffered a complex tibia fracture in a crash during the Olympic downhill race on February 8. She has undergone multiple surgeries since.
In April she said she was unsure whether she would return to competitive ski racing, leaving the door open but offering no timeline.
Season ahead
The World Cup season begins in Soelden, Austria, with a giant slalom on October 24. The first downhill of the campaign is scheduled for December 11 at Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Ms Vonn's inclusion on the roster keeps alive the possibility of one of the sport's most decorated careers continuing into the new season, even as the final call on her return rests on her recovery.
A storied career
With 84 World Cup victories, Ms Vonn is among the most successful racers in the history of the sport, according to NBC Olympics. Her Olympic record includes gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at Vancouver 2010, plus bronze in the downhill at PyeongChang 2018.
Whether the 2026-27 campaign becomes another chapter in that career will become clearer in the coming weeks, as the season opener in Soelden approaches.
Sources: Reuters: Vonn named in US team despite uncertain future
The US team said in a statement that all named athletes had qualified based on existing Alpine criteria. Despite her injuries, Ms Vonn was ranked 12th overall last season and fifth in the final downhill standings, and was the highest-ranked American woman in Super-G.
The long road back
The three-time Olympic medallist, who turns 42 this month, suffered a complex tibia fracture in a crash during the Olympic downhill race on February 8. She has undergone multiple surgeries since.
In April she said she was unsure whether she would return to competitive ski racing, leaving the door open but offering no timeline.
Season ahead
The World Cup season begins in Soelden, Austria, with a giant slalom on October 24. The first downhill of the campaign is scheduled for December 11 at Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Ms Vonn's inclusion on the roster keeps alive the possibility of one of the sport's most decorated careers continuing into the new season, even as the final call on her return rests on her recovery.
A storied career
With 84 World Cup victories, Ms Vonn is among the most successful racers in the history of the sport, according to NBC Olympics. Her Olympic record includes gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at Vancouver 2010, plus bronze in the downhill at PyeongChang 2018.
Whether the 2026-27 campaign becomes another chapter in that career will become clearer in the coming weeks, as the season opener in Soelden approaches.
Sources: Reuters: Vonn named in US team despite uncertain future
