The Alpine Skiing World is a marvelous haven where grit meets precision. Every second matters when athletes hurtle down the snow-covered slopes at speeds nearing 80 miles per hour. In this world, despite being a retired athlete, Lindsey Vonn continues to be an iconic name. Amid the 2023–24 Alpine Skiing season, Lindsey Vonn has been enjoying her rides down snowy slopes. But as she enjoys her time on the snow, an alarming streak of injuries has plagued the current skiing season.
The World Cup record holder, Mikaela Shiffrin, was another recent name who landed in the hospital as well. The alarming trend prompted Lindsey Vonn to issue an important statement.
Lindsey Vonn becomes a voice for injured athletes
In a post on X by a handle called Holly Reed, she pointed out the list of grievous injuries that have taken out top athletes this season. The list included names like Mikaela Shiffrin, Petra Vlhová, Sofia Goggia, Erik Arvidsson, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, and 18 others. Reposting this update, Lindsey Vonn shared that in the world of ski racing, changes were implemented in an attempt to make the sport safer. Alterations to the skis were made to slow down athletes, but unfortunately, this tactic backfired. Vonn said, “It only cost the ski companies millions and almost ruined the industry. Skiers will always find a way to go fast and inevitably there will also always be injuries.”
Unfortunately, this is ski racing. They have changed the skis to make athletes slower but it didn’t work. It only cost the ski companies millions and almost ruined the industry. Skiers will always find a way to go fast and inevitably there will also always be injuries. It just… https://t.co/flHYtWhxxO
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 5, 2024
Consequently, injuries continued to occur, affecting even the top stars of the sport. Lindsey Vonn and the athletes are seeking innovative solutions to enhance slope safety. Lindsey also shared that “I’d love to stop seeing all my friends end up in the hospital like me!” as she hopes to strive to make skiing safer and more enjoyable for everyone involved. This message from Lindsey Vonn comes days after Mikaela Shiffrin landed in the hospital, sending the community into a frenzy.
How Mikaela Shiffrin landed into the hospital
Mikaela Shiffrin is on her 100-win run this season. As of January 21, 2024, Mikaela Shiffrin had 95 World Cup victories. However, this winning streak was cut short when, on January 26, Mikaela Shiffrin had an accident when she landed after a jump at the downhill race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. She couldn’t control herself and ended up crashing into a safety net. It was a scary moment because she stayed down for a few minutes, and they even had to send a helicopter to help her.
Later, Miki shared with her supporters that she was okay and thanked her fans for their well wishes. Currently, Mikaela Shiffrin and her boyfriend, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who also suffered a bad crash, are spending their time together and undergoing physical therapy together. As the season progresses, fans hold out hope for improved safety measures to ensure the swift return of their favorite stars to action.