A cascade of goodwill was sent out for Lindsey Vonn on social media after she skied in the final race of her career, winning world championship downhill bronze in the process. Vonn’s career in Alpine racing comes to a close with 82 World Cup wins, the most ever by a woman, 2 world championship wins and three Olympic medals – including downhill gold in 2010.
Vonn’s boyfriend and Nashville Predator defenseman, P.K. Subban took to Twitter to remember Vonn’s late grandfather. Don Kildow, Vonn’s beloved grandfather, passed away on November 1, 2017 at the age of 88, four months before Vonn was set to make her return to the Olympics in PyeongChang.
Nobody more proud of you than this man right here! 🙏🏿 cheers 🥂 to the 🐐 @lindseyvonn pic.twitter.com/A9qGWgPV31
— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) February 10, 2019
The heir-apparent to Vonn, the U.S.’ Mikaela Shiffrin, had nothing but love for her retiring teammate.
When you close out your career with a World Champs medal 👏🏻🎉👏🏻🎉👏🏻 Big congrats to @lindseyvonn for a perfect final run💪💪 @Are2019
— Mikaela Shiffrin (@MikaelaShiffrin) February 10, 2019
Slovenia’s four-time Olympic medalist Tina Maze had love for her competitor.
Shine on @lindseyvonn ! Great times with you and compliments for your rocking career! @Are2019 pic.twitter.com/IZLLqxiC6M
— Tina Maze (@TinaMaze) February 10, 2019
Tennis legend, Martina Navratilova took time to recognize another GOAT.
Lindsey Vonn ends historic skiing career with bronze at world championships - NBC Sports - way to go out in a blaze of glory Lindsey!!! And cool of Ingemar to come:) https://t.co/XtWrVoCHrN
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) February 10, 2019
Canada’s two-time Alpine skiing Olympian Marie-Michele Gagnon says Vonn has been an inspiration for her career.
Got in one last big hug while @lindseyvonn wasn’t surrounded by a thousand fans. Lindsey you’ve been such an inspiration through my entire career. I arrived on the World Cup and you were… https://t.co/vE5rlScVMJ
— Marie-Michèle Gagnon (@MarieMGagnon) February 10, 2019
France’s three-time Olympic Alpine skiing medalist Alexis Pinturault, tipped his virtual top hat to Vonn.
— Alexis Pinturault (@AlexPinturault) February 10, 2019
@lindseyvonn way to dominate skiing and go out with a bang. The only time we “competed”, you dominated me. (At rock/paper/scissors) 😜 https://t.co/aLiM6b7rSy
— Ted Ligety (@tedligety) February 10, 2019
Vonn’s U.S. teammate, and fellow speed demon, Steve Nyman showed his pre-race support.
LETS GO!!!!!! Send it out on top today @lindseyvonn let’s see greatness!👊🇺🇸👊🇺🇸
— Steven Nyman (@Steven_Nyman) February 10, 2019
Germany’s three-time Olympic champion luger, Felix Loch, sent out his support to Vonn and also Norway’s retiring Aksel Lund Svindal.
@lindseyvonn & @akselsvindal You are such amazing athletes and so inspiring to many many sportsmen and woman all over the world! Just incredible! Thank you so much for all of these great and emotional moments that gave you to our wintersport family!! You are legends! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
— Felix Loch (@FelixLoch) February 10, 2019
The greatest 🙌@lindseyvonn ends her career as the most dominant @usskiteam athlete in history. pic.twitter.com/Va6mgbCAs0
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 10, 2019
Congrats @lindseyvonn on a great career a d thank you for inspiring us all! Good luck moving forward- can’t wait to see what you do next! @TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/jWFYhhfUwZ
— Elana Meyers Taylor OLY (@eamslider24) February 10, 2019
The slopes will never be the same. Thank you, @lindseyvonn. pic.twitter.com/rcjzwxYz5o
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 10, 2019
The number crunchers at FiveThirtyEight say the stats don’t lie.
Lindsey Vonn is the greatest American skier — and it’s not even close. https://t.co/Fc6XlWs5WT
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) February 9, 2019
Sports Illustrated’s Tim Layden offered his take on what makes Lindsey Vonn great.
Lindsey Vonn could have made her last ski race a ceremonial glide. Or she could have crashed on surgical knees. She didn’t. She won a bronze medal in downhill at the World Championships. A last example of why she is the greatest women’s ski racer in history
— Tim Layden (@ByTimLayden) February 10, 2019
.@lindseyvonn greeted by legend Ingemar Stenmark 🇸🇪 in the finish area with flowers. 💐 Two legends unite!! @Are2019 #are2019 pic.twitter.com/Y0jZ9MgWRO
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) February 10, 2019
An NBC Sports researcher shared what scrapbooking looks like for Lindsey Vonn.
I had a chance to meet @LindseyVonn’s grandparents in the summer of 2017. I was most impressed by “Lindsey’s Ski Diary,” a 39-volume scrapbook that documents her entire career. I’ve gotta think her final bronze medal-winning race at #are2019 is worthy of its own full volume. pic.twitter.com/fDzEhOUHlo
— Alex Azzi (@ByAlexAzzi) February 10, 2019
A day before her final race, Vonn was commiserating with skiers of every kind, offering her extensive rehab knowledge to actor Zac Efron, who’s looking to rebound after his own skiing-induced ACL tear!
Well @ZacEfron, I know the feeling. Lmk if you need any help rehabbing! 🤷🏼♀️ https://t.co/OBCW5850xW
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 8, 2019
I tore my ACL shredding the gnar⛷ :/ but all is good. I opted for surgery so I can come back stronger than ever. Thank you to Dr. Kvitne and his team at Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center. I’ll keep you updated as I heal and progress! Thanks for all the love and positivity! pic.twitter.com/iD5sm55H4c
— Zac Efron (@ZacEfron) February 8, 2019