Parkite speed skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has entered five World Cup races this season.  Through those five races, Vonn has walked away with four podium finishes, most recently double podiuming the Val d’Isere, France, World Cup over the weekend.  The 41 year old started her weekend off wi th a third-place finish in Saturday’s downhill race. She again finished third in Sunday’s super-G race.  The third-place downhill finish was astoundingly a downgrade from Vonn’s downhill results the week before in St. Moritz, Switzerland. She is the top-ranked women’s downhill skier in the world through the first two World Cups. Vonn finished fourth in the season-opening super-G race last weekend in St. Moritz.  “I love all of this area,” Vonn said about returning to ski in Val d’Isere for the first time since 2017. “Such a great place for me.” Vonn won seven World Cup races in Val d’Isere in her career, including her last time out in a super-G race. She said she got back in touch with the woman who gifted her her first cow there in 2005 — the World Cup gives out cows to their race winners, who often later take a cash prize as an alternative, yet Vonn started a tradition of keeping the cows over the cash.  “I wish I would have skied a little bit better,” she added after her first podium on Saturday. “On the bottom, I made a big mistake and lost a lot of time, so I was mad at myself.” Vonn is happy to retain the downhill red bib, given to the skier entering the next World Cup ranked atop the world in each speed skiing discipline. She said she would’ve been thrilled with podium finishes as she began her comeback this time last year.  “There’s a lot to be happy about,” Vonn said. “I’m just looking to improve myself every day and every race, and I know I can be better.” Vonn was also pleased to be on Sunday’s podium alongside Italy’s Sophia Goggia and Australia’s Alice Robinson, who finished in second and third place, respectively. She feels their skiing is helping to push each other and the sport of speed skiing forward. Vonn said she trained alongside Robinson in New Zealand back when she was first thinking about potentially making her comeback and joked that she may have given her too many super-G tips.  Vonn, right, also finished third in Sunday’s super-G race in Val d’Isere. Credit: Photo by Michel Cottin/courtesy of the U.S. Ski Team Austria’s Cornelia Huetter was Saturday’s downhill winner, with Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann coming in second place.  “It’s really healthy,” Vonn said about competing alongside Goggia and Robinson. “It’s more exciting for us as competitors and for the fans. It makes for exciting ski racing.” Vonn said she’s set to get back into the gym and recharge before she makes her final push toward the Milan Olympics, for which she officially qualified on Tuesday morning. She seemed to clarify that she’ll ski out the rest of her final season as she is in contention once again for both Crystal Globe trophies, handed out to the top season-ending finisher in each FIS discipline. Vonn has won 16 Crystal Globes in her career, most recently the downhill trophy in 2016.  “I’ve been in the hunt for a lot of Globes in my life,” Vonn said. “A lot of things can happen, especially in super-G. I think it’ll come down to the wire, probably.” Vonn will look to speed up her super-G times down the stretch this season and maintain her downhill ones. She’s focusing on doing the best she can, especially heading into the Games.  “I’m doing what I love to do,” she said. “I don’t feel limited because I’m 41. I think with how well I’ve done this season, it’s proving to everyone that anything is possible if you work hard and believe in yourself.” The women’s World Cup speed skiing season picks back up Jan. 8-11 in Zauchensee, Austria. In Zauchensee, there will be another downhill and super-G race. Zauchensee is one of three more women’s speed skiing World Cups leading up to the Olympics.  “Obviously, my knee replacement was the main factor in my ability to come back,” Vonn said. “Without that, I wouldn’t be here. But I also worked really hard and because I love it. So I just encourage everyone to continue to believe in themselves and never listen to the haters. Only trust yourself, and if you feel you can do it, then go for it.” The post Vonn double podiums in France appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less