Lindsey Vonn crashes at worlds during final super-G of career
Lindsey Vonn of USA celebrates during the FIS World Ski Championships Women's Super G on February 5, 2019 in Are Sweden. (Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
ARE, Sweden (AP) - Lindsey Vonn crashed in the super-G at the world championships Tuesday, straddling a gate mid-air and ending up in the safety nets.
Vonn, however, got up and skied down the hill after being tended to by medical personnel.
"Everybody, cross your fingers or hold your thumbs. That didn't look like a nice crash," said American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, who won the race. "She went really hard into the fence. Hopefully she is OK."
Vonn, the all-time leader in women's World Cup wins, announced last week that she will retire after racing the super-G and downhill at the worlds.
The 34-year-old Vonn has been slowed by persistent pain in both of her knees.
Losing control in mid-air and skiing through a gate, the panel fitted between the two poles detached and got stuck on Vonn's boots. When she hit the ground she slid downhill face first, using her hands to keep her head from hitting the snow, then came to a stop when she hit the safety netting.
Upon seeing Vonn's crash, Shiffrin looked away from the big video screen in the finish area. Sofia Goggia, who took silver, clasped her helmet with both hands, and the crowd gasped. One American fan appeared to be crying.
Vonn is slated to conclude her career with Sunday's downhill.
On a highly technical course, many other skiers also failed to finish their runs. American teammate Laurenne Ross also crashed, as did Christina Ager of Austria.
Shiffrin also narrowly avoided crashing, only barely clearing a gate near the end of her run.