Alpine SkiingFemale alpine skiing
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On the Sports Illustrated website, a letter was published by Lindsey Vonn saying goodbye to the world of skiing and waiting to see if he can beat the record of victories in the World Cup of Ingemar Stenmark or even if he can compete against men in Lake Louise, the American champion, 34 years old six days ago, is ready to open a new chapter in her life. Here is the text of the letter.
Wednesday 24 October 2018 8 minutes reading time
"Announcing my retirement was the most difficult reality I have ever faced. My intention was not to announce it as I did, but when I asked the question how long I would keep running, the answer simply came out. At this point in my career I do not think anyone is surprised by the decision, but to say it out loud and to the microphone has made it real. For as long as I can remember I have never seen a future without skiing. Even when I was five, on the theme 'What do you want to be when you grow up?', I wrote that I wanted to be the greatest skier of all time.
How can I spend a life without skiing? What does it mean and how can I go on? These are all questions that I asked myself. Every decision, every goal, every move I've made throughout my life has focused on being the best skier I can be.
But what am I without skiing? Who I am?
As a child, everything was very simple. I liked going fast. I made my first descent to nine years against children much older than me, but I never worried about anything. I was just having fun. I was 12 when I felt the pressure of victory for the first time. I was at the Topolino Trophy, international competition in Italy. No American had ever won Mickey Mouse and my father said that every American woman who had won had done it at the World Cup and at the Olympics. I felt enormous pressure because if I had not won this race, I would not have been good enough and I would never have done it. I still remember when I was at the starting gate - it was snowing and I was so nervous that I could barely stand up. I kept telling myself: 'I can do it, I can do it, I can do it ...' until I got to the finish line and I realized I had won. I learned then that I could handle the pressure and if I wanted something, I could take it. As much as I hate to admit when my father is right, he was right. - So far, however, I won 82 World Cup races, nine world medals, 20 World Cups (adding general and specialty ones, ed) and three Olympic medals!
My father also said there would be a period when I would have had enough of this sport. He asked me a few times after the injuries if I had reached that point and my response had always been immediate and emphatic: 'NO!' Even after two reconstructions of the anterior cruciate ligament, a dislocation of the medial collateral ligament, multiple reparations of the meniscus, four fractures of the tibial plateau, a growing fracture of my humor with a plate and 18 screws, a broken ankle, broken fingers and many concussions, I never questioned my decision to continue skiing.
Over the course of my career I have always looked for and tried more. More victories, more speed, more adrenaline and more challenges. This was my goal and in this way I went very far in my career. If I had thought that quitting was an option or if I had even a minimum of doubt, I would never have been able to make those returns.
Now, as the oldest Olympic medalist at age 34, I realized that while I did great things in skiing, I need to look beyond the podiums, the goals and the competition and find out how my future will be without them. I have to agree to be good enough without skiing because, at this point, my health and my family have to come first. I want to be able to walk without pain, or (hopefully) one day teach my children to ski. I have to redefine my goals, who I am and what direction I want my life to take. I know that I can endure the perseverance, the grit and hard work I learned from skiing and that will result in success in other aspects of my life.
I know that I will be asked about the historic record of 86 World Cup victories by Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark, and that I have never competed against men, but I intend to work hard to make both things possible. I still have another season and while I will take everything and enjoy myself this year, I will also compete with the same intensity and concentration I have always had.
Regardless of the record, I am still proud of what I am and what I have achieved during my career. I have nothing more to prove to myself or someone else. I am no longer the nervous child at the top of a mountain; I am a woman ready for the next chapter. I can do it! My legacy will be more than skiing and there are still many chapters to write.
Thanks to all my family, to my friends and, in particular, to my fans who supported me on this fantastic journey. Greetings, see the next chapter! "
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