Career Timeline of Lindsey Vonn: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Lindsey Vonn made an impact.

Lindsey Vonn is a decorated American alpine ski racer renowned for her exceptional achievements. She claimed four World Cup overall championships (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012) and an Olympic gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics, a first for an American woman. Vonn dominated the World Cup circuit, securing a record eight season titles in downhill, five in super-G, and three consecutive titles in the combined (2010-2012). In 2016, she broke the record for most World Cup crystal globes won, male or female, with 20, surpassing Ingemar Stenmark. She holds the third-highest super ranking of any skier.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1975: Ingemar Stenmark's First Globe

In 1975, Ingemar Stenmark won the first of his 19 globes, a record that Lindsey Vonn would later surpass in 2016.

1982: Phil Mahre's Record

In 1982, Phil Mahre set a record with eight World Cup wins in a single season.

1983: Tamara McKinney's World Cup Title

In 1983, Tamara McKinney won the overall World Cup title, preceding Lindsey Vonn as only the second American woman to achieve the honor.

1994: Last Home Win

In 1994, Hilary Lindh of Alaska won the downhill in nearby Vail, marking the last home win by an American woman until Lindsey Vonn's victory in 2011.

1999: Cadets Slalom Events Win

In 1999, Lindsey Kildow and Will McDonald became the first American athletes to win the "Cadets" slalom events in Italy's Trofeo Topolino di Sci Alpino.

November 18, 2000: World Cup Debut

On November 18, 2000, Lindsey Kildow made her World Cup debut at age 16 in Park City, Utah, marking an early milestone in her professional skiing career.

2002: Olympic Debut

In 2002, Lindsey Kildow made her Olympic debut at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, competing in both slalom and combined events.

March 4, 2003: Junior World Championship Medal

On March 4, 2003, Lindsey Kildow earned a silver medal in downhill at the Junior World Championship in Puy Saint-Vincent, France.

January 2004: First World Cup Podium

In January 2004, Lindsey Kildow achieved her first World Cup podium finish, securing third place in downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

March 24, 2004: U.S. Alpine Championships Medal

On March 24, 2004, Lindsey Kildow was the downhill silver medalist at the U.S. Alpine Championships at Mt. Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, Alaska.

December 2004: Maiden Victory

In December 2004, Lindsey Kildow achieved her maiden victory in downhill at Lake Louise, Alberta, marking a significant milestone in her career.

2005: World Championships

In 2005, Lindsey Kildow competed in four races at the World Championships held in Bormio, Italy, securing fourth-place finishes in both the downhill and combined events.

2005: Winning a downhill race and offered a cow

In 2005, Lindsey Vonn won a downhill race at Val d'Isère and was offered a pregnant Tarine cow, which she named "Olympe" and placed in the care of an Austrian farmer.

2007: World Championships Medals

In 2007, Lindsey Kildow earned silver medals in both downhill and super-G at the World Championships in Åre, Sweden, marking significant achievements in her career.

2008: World Cup Overall Championship Win

In 2008, Lindsey Vonn won her first World Cup overall championship. This marked the second time an American woman had achieved this, following Tamara McKinney in 1983.

2008: Overall World Cup Title

In 2008, Lindsey Vonn won the overall World Cup title, becoming the second American woman to achieve this feat since Tamara McKinney in 1983.

2009: Second World Cup Overall Championship

In 2009, Lindsey Vonn secured her second consecutive World Cup overall championship, solidifying her position as a dominant force in alpine skiing.

2009: World Championship Gold Medals

In 2009, Lindsey Vonn secured two World Championship gold medals, further solidifying her status as a top alpine skier.

2009: Winning a goat

In 2009, Lindsey Vonn won a goat, which she gave to a farmer in Austria.

2010: 2010 Winter Olympics Gold Medal

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, on February 17, Lindsey Vonn won the gold medal in the downhill event, becoming the first American woman to achieve this milestone.

2010: Third World Cup Overall Championship

In 2010, Lindsey Vonn achieved her third consecutive World Cup overall championship, further cementing her legacy in the sport.

2011: 2011 World Championships

At the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Lindsey Vonn suffered from a concussion and achieved a seventh place in super-G and a silver medal in downhill.

2011: Lake Louise Wins

From December 2-4, 2011, Lindsey Vonn won all three races in Lake Louise, Alberta (two downhills, one super-G), marking her second career 'hat trick'.

2011: World Cup Finals

In 2011, Lindsey Vonn finished ahead of Maria Riesch in several races, taking the overall lead for the first time that season after the downhill event of the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide.

2011: World Championship Silver Medals

In 2011, Lindsey Vonn won a silver medal at the World Championships.

January 2012: Milestone Victory

In January 2012, Lindsey Vonn achieved further victories, overtaking Götschl to become the third most successful female World Cup racer in terms of victories.

2012: Fourth Overall World Cup Title

In 2012, Lindsey Vonn won her fourth Overall World Cup Title. She also won her first giant slalom, making her the 6th woman to have won all events at least once.

2012: Fourth World Cup Overall Championship

In 2012, Lindsey Vonn won her fourth World Cup overall championship, adding to her impressive list of achievements in alpine skiing.

November 20, 2013: Vonn re-injures her right knee during training

On November 20, 2013, Lindsey Vonn re-injured her right knee during training, straining it and partially tearing her right ACL after a crash. She later returned to competition on December 6.

December 21, 2013: Vonn re-injures her right knee while skiing in France

On December 21, 2013, Lindsey Vonn re-injured her right knee while skiing in France.

2013: Vonn's crash at the World Championships in Schladming

During the 2013 World Championships in Schladming, Austria, Lindsey Vonn crashed in the super-G event and had to be airlifted to a hospital. As a result, she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her right knee, and also suffered a tibial plateau fracture. Despite the injury, she expressed her determination to be ready for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

2013: Slow start to 2013 season

In 2013, Lindsey Vonn began the season slowly, experiencing illness and achieving marginal results in the giant slalom. She also skipped a couple of slalom races in November 2012.

2013: World Cup Season Title

In 2013, Lindsey Vonn secured a World Cup season title in the downhill discipline, marking another significant accomplishment in her career.

January 7, 2014: Vonn announces she will not compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics

On January 7, 2014, Lindsey Vonn announced that she would not be able to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi because she had re-injured her right knee on December 21, 2013, while skiing in France. She planned to have surgery to be ready for the World Championships in Vail the following February.

December 6, 2014: Vonn wins World Cup downhill race

On December 6, 2014, Lindsey Vonn made her comeback to the top of the podium at the women's World Cup downhill race at Lake Louise, Alberta, winning the event in only her second race back.

2014: Vonn aims for the 2014 Winter Olympics

In 2014, Lindsey Vonn stated she would be ready for the Winter Olympics despite her injury in 2013.

2014: Winning a calf

In 2014, Lindsey Vonn won a calf in Val d'Isère, and as of 2014, she owned a small herd of cows on a farm.

2014: Correspondent for NBC News

In 2014, while recovering from injury, Lindsey Vonn worked as a correspondent for NBC News, covering the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

January 2015: Vonn ties and overtakes Annemarie Moser-Proell for most World Cup wins

In January 2015, Lindsey Vonn tied and then overtook Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell for the most World Cup wins ever.

March 18, 2015: Vonn wins World Cup downhill title for the seventh time

On March 18, 2015, Lindsey Vonn won the last World Cup downhill race at Méribel, France and claimed the World Cup downhill title for the seventh time. Vonn tied with Moser-Proell for the women's record of seven globes in one discipline.

2015: World Cup Season Titles

In 2015, Lindsey Vonn achieved two World Cup season titles, one in downhill and another in super-G, showcasing her versatility and continued success in both disciplines.

2015: Lindsey Vonn Foundation founded

In 2015, Lindsey Vonn founded the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which provides "essential enrichment and sports-based scholarships and empowerment programs to girls from underserved communities" across the United States.

2015: Vonn at the 2015 World Championships

In 2015, at the World Championships in Vail / Beaver Creek, Colorado, Lindsey Vonn won a bronze medal in the super-G. She placed 5th in the downhill race and 14th in the giant slalom race.

November 11, 2016: Vonn fractures her right arm in a training crash

On November 11, 2016, Lindsey Vonn announced on her Facebook page that she had severely fractured the humerus bone of her right arm in a training crash and had undergone surgery to repair the bone.

2016: 20th World Cup Crystal Globe Title

In 2016, Lindsey Vonn won her 20th World Cup crystal globe title, setting an overall record for both men and women and surpassing Ingemar Stenmark's previous record.

January 15, 2017: Vonn returns to World Cup

On January 15, 2017, Lindsey Vonn returned to the World Cup in the downhill race at Altenmarkt, finishing 13th.

October 2018: Vonn announces her retirement

In October 2018, Lindsey Vonn announced that she would retire from competition at the end of the 2018-19 season, regardless of whether she managed to surpass Ingemar Stenmark's record for World Cup race victories.

2018: Vonn at the 2018 Winter Olympics

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Lindsey Vonn tied for 6th in the women's super-G and won the bronze medal in the women's downhill. She dedicated her Olympic races to her grandfather, a Korean War veteran who died the previous November, and competed with his initials on her helmet.

January 2019: Vonn competes at Cortina d'Ampezzo

In January 2019, Lindsey Vonn made her season debut at Cortina d'Ampezzo, finishing 15th and 9th in the two downhills there, before failing to finish the super-G. Following the super-G race, she told reporters that she was considering retiring immediately.

February 10, 2019: Subban watches Vonn win bronze

On February 10, 2019, P. K. Subban traveled to Åre, Sweden, to watch Lindsey Vonn win a bronze medal in the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Downhill.

2019: Retirement Announcement

In 2019, Lindsey Vonn announced her retirement from professional skiing, citing her injuries as a major factor.

2019: Lindsey Vonn's Retirement

In 2019, Lindsey Vonn retired from professional skiing, holding a record of 82 World Cup victories for a female skier.

January 2023: Vonn becomes the first woman to ski the Streif

In January 2023, Lindsey Vonn became the first woman to ski the Streif, although she did so on her own and not in a competitive setting.

January 2023: Mikaela Shiffrin Surpasses Vonn's Record

In January 2023, Mikaela Shiffrin surpassed Lindsey Vonn's record of 82 World Cup victories, establishing a new benchmark in women's alpine skiing.

November 14, 2024: Vonn announces return to competitive skiing

On November 14, 2024, Lindsey Vonn announced that she was coming out of retirement and returning to competitive skiing after having a successful knee replacement surgery seven months earlier which stopped the pain that had led to her retirement.

November 2024: Return to Competitive Skiing

In November 2024, Lindsey Vonn returned to competitive skiing and became the oldest downhill skiing World Cup winner at the age of 41.

December 7, 2024: Vonn returns to racing at FIS Fall Festival

On December 7, 2024, Lindsey Vonn made her return to racing in a downhill race at the FIS Fall Festival at Copper Mountain, Colorado, finishing 24th out of 45 skiers.

December 21, 2024: Vonn returns to World Cup in St. Moritz

On December 21, 2024, Lindsey Vonn made her comeback to the World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, finishing 14th in the Super-G.

January 11, 2025: Vonn finishes sixth in downhill race in St. Anton

On January 11, 2025, Lindsey Vonn finished sixth in her first World Cup downhill race after returning to the Ski World Cup, in St. Anton, 0.58 seconds behind the winner Federica Brignone.

March 23, 2025: Vonn attains first World Cup podium in seven years

On March 23, 2025, Lindsey Vonn attained her first World Cup podium in seven years when she came second in the super-G at the season finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.

December 12, 2025: Vonn becomes the oldest downhill skiing World Cup winner

On December 12, 2025, Lindsey Vonn became the oldest downhill skiing World Cup winner, in St. Moritz, at the age of 41, claiming her 83rd World Cup win and first since 2018.

December 23, 2025: Vonn qualifies for the 2026 Winter Olympics

On December 23, 2025, it was confirmed that Lindsey Vonn had qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking her fifth and final Olympic appearance.

January 22, 2026: 84 World Cup Races Won

As of January 22, 2026, Lindsey Vonn had won 84 World Cup races in her career, marking her as one of the most successful alpine ski racers.

January 30, 2026: Vonn suffers a crash in Crans-Montana

On January 30, 2026, Lindsey Vonn suffered a crash in the World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, the final downhill before the Olympics, and was airlifted off the course.

February 3, 2026: Vonn confirms ACL rupture and intention to compete at the Olympics

On February 3, 2026, Lindsey Vonn confirmed that she had ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) but announced her intention to compete at the Olympics despite the injury sustained just a week before.