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American Lindsey Vonn became the oldest skiing downhill World Cup winner at St Moritz in Switzerland on Friday.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 41-year-old retired from the sport<\/a> in February 2019 because of knee problems but made her competitive return<\/a> in December 2024.<\/p>\n Vonn has collected one gold and two bronze Olympic medals in her career to date and is on track to represent the USA at the 2026 Games in February.<\/p>\n She crossed the line in one minute and 29.63 seconds – nearly a second quicker than second-placed Magdalena Egger – to wrap up her 83rd World Cup win and first since 2018.<\/p>\n “I knew I was skiing fast but you never know until the first race,” Vonn told TNT Sports. <\/p>\n “I think I was a little faster than I expected. It’s a very exciting time. Obviously my goal is Cortina but if this is the way we start, I think I’m in a good spot.”<\/p>\n Vonn seized skiing’s oldest World Cup winner record from Switzerland’s Didier Cuche, who had held it since his victory in the super-G at Crans Montana, USA in 2012 aged 37.<\/p>\n The oldest winner on the women’s circuit was Austrian Elisabeth Goergl for her victory in the super-G at Val d’Isere, France in 2014, at the age of 33.<\/p>\n It was Vonn’s 83rd World Cup victory and first since she won in Are, Sweden, in March 2018.<\/p>\n Vonn has four overall World Cup titles from a glittering career that has spanned 20 years.<\/p>\n “The win means so much to me. I knew in the summer I was on the right path, and all the hard work has paid off,” Vonn added.<\/p>\n “I thought I might retire after the last race of the Olympics, because I didn’t think I’d be competitive for a title, but I might need to change my approach.”<\/p>\n Friday’s event marked the beginning of the downhill World Cup campaign, with a further eight races taking place before the World Cup Finals at Kvitfjell in Norway on 21 March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n