Lindsey

Vonn

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Downhill, Super-G
• Daughter of Alan Kildow and Lindy Krohn
• Has four younger siblings: Karin, and then triplets, Dylan, Laura and Reed
• Memoir called "Rise: My Story" was published in 2022 and was a New York Times bestseller
• Only American woman to win an Olympic gold in the downhill
• Most victories by any skier - male or female - in a single discipline: 43 (downhill) and 28 (super-G)
• Founder of Lindsey Vonn Foundation and Après Productions
• Investor in the NWSL team, Utah Royals
• Speaks fluent German
• Growing up idolized Picabo Street, both were members of the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team

Biographical Information

Lindsey Vonn began skiing at age three on Minnesota’s slopes aided by her father, a three-time national junior champion and her grandfather, also a competitive ski racer. Vonn moved with her family full-time to Vail at age 12 and within a few years became the first American female to win the slalom at the Trofeo Topolino, a prestigious international junior competition in Italy. This was the only the beginning in a career that saw Vonn become one of the best female alpine skiers in history.

Vonn made her Olympic debut at 17 during the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake 2002. At the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010, she became the first U.S. woman to win gold in the downhill while also winning bronze in the super-G. After missing the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 due to injury, she won bronze in the downhill at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, becoming one of four U.S. skiers with three or more Olympic medals.

Lindsey Vonn retired from her competitive ski racing career in 2019 with 82 FIS World Cup wins. At the time, the most by any woman in history. In her professional ski racing career that spans nearly 25 years, she is best known for her resilience, overcoming numerous injuries, including severe knee damage and fractures. In 2024, Vonn announced a comeback after her knee felt pain-free since undergoing a partial knee surgery. At the final FIS Alpine Ski World Cup of the 2024-25 season, she captured second place in the super-G, 2,565 days after her last world cup podium. 

Outside the slopes, she has started her own production company, Apres Production, and also founded the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which aims to empower girls from underserved communities. Vonn invested in the NWSL's Utah Royals in 2024.

Olympic Experience

• 4-time Olympian; 3-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 2 bronze)
  • Olympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, bronze (Downhill - Women), 6th (Super G - Women)
  • Olympic Games Vancouver 2010, gold (Downhill - Women), bronze (Super G - Women)
  • Olympic Games Turin 2006, 7th (Super G - Women), 8th (Downhill - Women), 14th (Slalom - Women)
  • Olympic Games Salt Lake City 2002, 6th (Combination - Women), 32th (Slalom - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2019 – (Super Combined - Women, Super G - Women), bronze (Downhill - Women)
• Years of participation: Downhill - Women 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019; Super Combined - Women 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019; Super G - Women 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019; Giant Slalom - Women 2005, 2015; Slalom - Women 2007, 2009; Combination - Women 2005; Team - Mixed 2005
• Medals: 8 (2 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze)
  • Gold – 2009 (Downhill - Women, Super G - Women)
  • Silver – 2011 (Downhill - Women); 2007 (Downhill - Women, Super G - Women)
  • Bronze – 2019 (Downhill - Women); 2017 (Downhill - Women); 2015 (Super G - Women)