There’s no question that a ton of hard work and training have taken Lindsey Vonn to the level she’s at as one of the greatest ski racers of all time. But genetics might have had something to do with it, too.
Lindsey is the oldest of five siblings and for the last couple of weeks she has been joined on the World Cup by her youngest sister, Laura, who, like her sister, also has “a need for speed.”
Laura Kildow is 21 years old and is one of triplets with two brothers. She took a crack at ski racing when she was younger and still skis when given the opportunity but right now is moving to Florence, Italy, for the next few months to study abroad (from Iowa University). She joined Lindsey in Bad Kleinkirchheim and Cortina d’Ampezzo for company and moral support, also slipping the course during her sister’s training and carrying her equipment bag, sporting U.S. Ski Team outerwear and a Red Bull helmet, looking every bit like a little Lindsey.
“She’s the runt of the family,” Lindsey says of Laura. “She’s so small, but she has absolutely no fear.”
Example A:
In Cortina last weekend, right before Lindsey took second in the downhill race (and then went on to win the super G the next day), she and Laura were speeding down a long run next to the race course for a warm up when Laura attempted to “sneak by” her sister.
This resulted in a collision, in which Lindsey was totally unshaken and her little sister went flying into the woods.
“I didn’t know she was so close behind me,” Lindsey said. “She had the biggest smile on her face as she was crashing.”
“I was worried about her skis,” Laura said … adding that she didn’t exactly remember smiling on her way down. “Lindsey was just worried about me.”
But … no harm done. Both sisters are laughing about it now.
