Lindsey Vonn is one step closer to skiing competitively for the first time in 10 months.
The Olympic downhill champion took an official downhill training run in near-zero-degree temperatures in Lake Louise, Alberta, on Wednesday afternoon, site of World Cup races this weekend.
She completed the course in 1 minute, 59.53 seconds, the 22nd fastest of 67 total skiers, according to International Ski Federation timing. She reached speeds over 75 miles per hour and said her knee felt “stable.”
“Of course I was a little nervous,” Vonn said, according to USA Today. “First training run, first kind of real race situation since February so it’s been a long time. So I’m really happy.”
A decision on her participation in Lake Louise downhills Friday and Saturday and a super-G on Sunday is expected to be made after the final official training session Thursday.
Vonn told the newspaper her decision will be based on “whether the swelling holds up, if it stays stable. Make sure there’s no swelling so the quad can react appropriately and can fire appropriately.”
“Knee feels good, it feels stable so I’m just going to play it by ear tomorrow,” she told the newspaper.
Vonn was skiing at a course nicknamed “Lake Lindsey” for her overwhelming success there. She’s won the last seven World Cup races at Lake Louise. She hasn’t finished lower than second at a Lake Louise race since 2008.
Vonn hasn’t skied competitively since blowing out her right knee at the World Championships in Schladming, Austria, in February. She reinjured her right ACL in a training crash in Copper Mountain, Colo., two weeks ago.
Vonn felt strong enough after weekend super-G training in Vail, Colo., and was cleared by a doctor and coaches to begin downhill training, the U.S. Ski Team said Tuesday.
