This weekend Lindsey Vonn may become the most successful racer at Lake Louise after celebrating her sixth downhill win on Friday despite bad weather condition. The defending Overall World Cup champion can improve Katja Seizinger's record of six victories in downhill and Super-G with another success on the ‘Men's Olympic Run' on Saturday or Sunday.
A two-time Olympic champion in downhill in 1994 and 1998, the German was also very successful on the World Cup tour, clinching twice the Overall title in her short career and winning a total of 36 races in downhill, Super-G and giant slalom. She also won three races in three days at Val d'Isère in January 1996 a few weeks prior the Sierra Nevada FIS World Championships.
Another win in Canada would allow Vonn to equal the performance of Switzerland's Vreni Schneider, a seven-time winner at Maribor in the 1980s and 1990s, and get closer to the impressive mark set by Austria's former ‘Speed Queen' Renate Goetschl, who celebrated ten victories in Cortina d'Ampezzo during her best years.
"She would not mind but breaking records is not really her main motivation," told Lindsey's husband Thomas to the press on Friday. "She surely was proud to become the most successful US female on the World Cup tour last season, but her main goal when competing is to fully achieve her potential on courser and ski as fast as possible," the former Olympian also said.
"She knows that she is not alone out there fighting for victories and is fully aware that it's easy to make a small mistake which can cost a lot."
One of the few skiers able to excel in almost all disciplines - she still aims for her first podium in giant slalom - Lindsey Vonn could be the second racer after Seizinger in December 1997 to win all three races at Lake Louise during the same weekend. Yet she first needs to win her first double downhill on Saturday - a performance she failed to achieve in recent years.
"You need to be very focused and able to raise your level as the other contenders will do their best to beat you, those girls here seem ready for it," she said at the post-race press conference pointing her finger to her friend Maria Riesch and Canada's Emily Brydon. "It's certainly a goal to win again here but I first want to ski once more as well as possible. I'm a fighter so it makes everything just more exciting."
After her newest triumph, the double World Champion was also pretty busy consoling her husband after forgetting to wish him a ‘Happy Birthday' in time on Thursday. "I was surprised, she is such a birthday girl but she forgot about mine until late in the evening yesterday," explained Thomas in the finish line. "A few years ago, I once waited a few minutes to wish her a Happy Birthday in the early morning and she was quite upset so it's my turn now," he added with a grin. "She owns me big now."
Asked about it at the press conference, Lindsey apologized with a great smile saying that she felt sorry and that she loves him!
PkL
