Lindsey Vonn is thankfully feeling better on and off the slopes. She reached speeds of 84-mph and beat the rest of the women’s field by nearly a full second Tuesday during her training runs at Lake Louise.
And if this is how she skis after only a week of recovery, imagine how the Olympic gold medalist will do when she’s healthy. The guys better watch out when she… what’s that? The International Ski Federation is still denying her the right to face-off against the men in a World Cup event?
“You would think in the year 2012, we could figure out a way to make it work,” Vonn told the Calgary Herald Tuesday. “Gender isn’t really an issue in pretty much all aspects of life now – the workplace, most sports. Everything is all about equality…
“I think there has to be a way to put aside gender and put aside pride and ego and do something that I personally would love to do. And I think also would be great for the sport.”
Vonn says she’s doing her research to see what can be done - legally and otherwise - but if nothing else, she hopes to convince Alpine Canada President Max Gartner to hold an exhibition race at the Lake Louise course where Vonn has won 11 women’s titles.
“If my only option is to race exhibition, then I will 100 percent do that. But I’m still hoping to race in the actual World Cup… I think it would be incredible and just a dream come true.”