Vonn Moves One Step Closer Towards Racing Men

Great news for Lindsey Vonn fans!!

Vonn moved a step closer to her goal of racing against men today as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association wrote to the sport’s ruling body asking it to consider the request.

Olympic downhill champion Vonn approached the International Ski Federation (FIS) in early October with the request to compete in a men’s World Cup downhill on November 24 in Lake Louise, Alberta. Vonn, the most successful ski racer of her generation with 53 World Cup wins, has won the women’s race there nine times.

In the letter to the FIS President Gian Franco Kasper, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association “petitioned the FIS Council to consider her request to ski a men’s race at some point in her career,” USSA said in a statement on its website today. 

The council is scheduled to meet on November 3 in Switzerland.

FIS women’s race director Atle Skaardal told reporters in Zurich this month that Vonn’s request was “complicated” because the women’s event at Lake Louise takes place a week after the men’s. Under the world body’s rules, no one can ski on a race course a week prior to competition.

Colorado resident Vonn last week said in an interview, also in Soelden, that she’d made the request to test herself against the men because she beats them in training and wants “to try to push the limit.”

If she is turned down, Vonn said she will attempt to race men next year.

Josh Harper ( More Posts)

Josh Harper is an Intern Writer for The Ski Channel. He is a Linfield Wildcat Graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Business and Sports Coaching. Born in Encino, California, Josh moved around when he was younger around the state, but has resided in Santa Monica for the past 14 years. He is an avid skier, and has skied in some of the top skiing areas, such as Mammoth Mountain, Deer Valley and Whistler Blackcomb. Josh studied at Linfield College in McMinnville, OR from 2008-2012 studying general business while aspiring to be a Head Basketball Coach in the near future, gaining experience as a Student Manager/Assistant Coach for Linfield’s Women’s Basketball Team his junior year.