Lindsey Vonn falls while on course for top-five finish in latest comeback race

Lindsey Vonn fell while on pace for a top-five finish at a World Cup super-G on Sunday to mark the second time she’s gone down in four days during her comeback to ski racing at the age of 40.

Vonn fell on her hip coming around a gate midway down the course that will feature in next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics. Vonn quickly got up and skied down to the finish area and waved to the crowd.

“I got a little bit behind the course and tried to pull it off,” Vonn said. “My skis kind of clicked together and I lost my balance.”

Vonn was unhurt after the fall, and she also avoided injury during a crash in downhill training on Thursday.

Home skier Federica Brignone won the super-G ahead of Swiss Olympic champions Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter.

Vonn, who holds the record with 12 wins in Cortina, returned to the circuit last month with a new titanium knee after nearly six years of retirement.

Vonn told the Associated Press on Thursday that she plans to retire again after next year’s Olympics, when women’s skiing will be held in Cortina and men’s races in Bormio.

Last weekend in St Anton, Austria, Vonn finished sixth and fourth in a downhill and a super-G, respectively. In Saturday’s downhill in Cortina, a mistake toward the end of her run resulted in a 20th-place finish.

In her latest race, Vonn was fifth fastest through the second of three checkpoints before she lost control. In all, she was one of 10 skiers who didn’t finish a race held in flat light and overcast conditions.

“I was skiing really well,” she said. “In general this weekend was really positive but I couldn’t quite put it together. It’s going to take a little time. Last weekend went so well that everyone’s expectations were really high. But this is a journey that no one’s taken before. So I’m trying to be patient.

Home skier Federica Brignone won the super-G ahead of Swiss Olympic champions Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter.

Vonn, who holds the record with 12 wins in Cortina, returned to the circuit last month with a new titanium knee after nearly six years of retirement.

Vonn told the Associated Press on Thursday that she plans to retire again after next year’s Olympics, when women’s skiing will be held in Cortina and men’s races in Bormio.

Last weekend in St Anton, Austria, Vonn finished sixth and fourth in a downhill and a super-G, respectively. In Saturday’s downhill in Cortina, a mistake toward the end of her run resulted in a 20th-place finish.

In her latest race, Vonn was fifth fastest through the second of three checkpoints before she lost control. In all, she was one of 10 skiers who didn’t finish a race held in flat light and overcast conditions.

“I was skiing really well,” she said. “In general this weekend was really positive but I couldn’t quite put it together. It’s going to take a little time. Last weekend went so well that everyone’s expectations were really high. But this is a journey that no one’s taken before. So I’m trying to be patient.

I need more training, I need more time. And I think it’s actually kind of a good thing that I didn’t do well this weekend, because it leaves me really hungry for more and also hopefully for next year,” Vonn added.

It was Vonn’s 400th World Cup race. “It means that I have been here for a long time,” said Vonn, who made her World Cup debut nearly 25 years ago – in November 2000.

Renate Goetschl holds the women’s record with 409 races. “I should hit that,” Vonn said. “Another record!”

Vonn plans to race again in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, next weekend, and then at next month’s world championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria.