Lindsey Vonn, the renowned U.S. Alpine skiing legend, demonstrated her prowess in the first downhill training run at St. Moritz, setting a blazing pace of 1:30.95 on the Corviglia course. This performance comes ahead of the 2025/26 speed season opener, a significant milestone in her illustrious career. With five World Cup victories on these slopes, including the last one in 2015, Vonn is a familiar and formidable presence on this terrain.
The training session, while not contributing to qualification, serves as a crucial opportunity for athletes to assess the course, understand the snow conditions, and fine-tune their equipment. Despite the tendency for skiers to ease off near the finish, Vonn's strong time not only showcases her exceptional skills but also provides a much-needed confidence boost as she gears up for the upcoming races.
In a competitive field, Vonn's time was faster than Norway's Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (+0.59) and two-time Olympic medallist Sofia Goggia, who tied for third (+0.71) with France's Laura Gauche. The real test, however, awaits on Friday (12 December) when the start gate drops for the competition, marking the first chance for athletes to demonstrate their form and strategy on the path to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina.
As Vonn confidently stated in an exclusive interview, 'You could probably guess what I’m aiming for...', her early-season performance and familiarity with the course position her as a strong contender for success in the upcoming season.
