Vonn finds inspiration for win
For all her time basking in the leader’s spotlight, Lindsey Vonn also has another, more lonely side these days.
After breaking Annemarie Moser-Proell’s record for most World Cup downhill victories with her 37th in skiing’s marquee event Saturday, Vonn revealed her recent purchase of a little puppy was made to combat depression.
Having split with boyfriend Tiger Woods last year and previously divorced from her husband of four years, Vonn has found it challenging to keep her spirits up in between races as she travels across the Alps.
”It’s really hard to be on the road. When I got divorced, it was hard that season, but this year especially, I’m older and I’m only able to go home once this year,” the 31-year-old Vonn said. “I’m pretty lonely, to be honest, and it’s been nice to have my dog. That’s what I needed.”
She picked up the three-month-old cavalier king spaniel in Bologna and named her Lucy.
”I feel like sometimes when I have a bad day, it’s hard to go home,” Vonn added. “It’s pretty depressing just to be alone. It’s nice to have a friendly, smiling little puppy face excited for me to come home whether I win or lose.”
On Saturday, it was a big win.
Vonn beat Larisa Yurkiw of Canada by 0.28 seconds on the Olympia delle Tofane course the same site where she eclipsed Moser-Proell’s overall women’s record of 62 victories a year ago with a nearly flawless run amid windy conditions.
”It’s pretty awesome,” Vonn said. “I was really nervous today, actually. I’ve won so much here, and there was just a lot of pressure. The more people talk about records the harder it is to break them.
”So I tried to stay focused on my skiing, and I thought I skied really well on the top. I went a little bit too straight on the bottom. But I was able to pull it off.”
Men’s event canceled: The classic men’s World Cup downhill on the Streif was called off because of poor visibility after three serious crashes among only 30 starters, with Peter Fill of Italy awarded the victory.
Pre-race favourites Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and Hannes Reichelt of Austria were thrown off the bumpy Hausbergkante and landed in the safety netting, but appeared to have escaped serious injuries.
Another Austrian, Georg Streitberger, tore ligaments in his right knee after also going out on the same spot.