Westbound Boarder

Lindsey is one of the few females to appear on a SI cover

Throughout the past couple of weeks, we’ve covered the Olympic snowboard games in depth; however, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also take a step back and comment on the Olympic ski games as well. Last week, alongside the men’s halfpipe event, the world also saw world-renowned American athlete Lindsey Vonn take home a gold as well.  However, her path to and through the games is what’s truly inspiring.

Lindsey has always had a knack for competition, with 31 World Cup finishes behind her. But during the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino, a crash landed her in the hospital. She returned the next day, however, to finish eighth. But this year, four years later, Lindsey had her sights set on one thing – the Olympic gold.

Heading into the games over the past couple of months, Lindsey Vonn emerged as an audience favorite, becoming the US “face” of the women’s games. With her cute, all-American look, and determination that moved mountains, America was quick to deem Lindsey the rising star and first in line for the gold. Which, I think, is both good and bad. She had so much support from America heading into the games, but she also had a lot to live up to. And we all saw what happened to snowboard fan favorite Lindsey Jacobellis – she didn’t even place. But Vonn pulled through, winning the gold in the downhill alpine event despite a massive shin injury she suffered, an injury that nearly cost her the opportunity to compete. She was the first American woman to ever win the downhill alpine ski race.

Lindsey did have a shot at winning two golds in two days, her second shot being in the Super Combined, however, in the slalom portion of the race she crashed over a gate because she couldn’t get her foot around it fast enough, costing her a podium finish. She claims the crash had nothing to do with her injury. She went on to compete in two other events, winning a bronze in the Super-G and DQing from the Giant Slalom, walking away with a broken finger.

All in all, one gold and one bronze, out of five qualified-for events? Not bad! Despite the two ugly sticks Vonn carries (kidding, of course! We love skiers, too) Lindsey Vonn remains a flippin’ chick in our books.

Side note: We hear Lindsey will be on Jay Leno March 1, so make sure to check it out!