Lindsey Vonn has a 'knack' for Lake Louise
American star has won 15 times at Alberta venue
It'll be something of a homecoming this weekend for Lindsey Vonn when she competes in the opening World Cup women's downhill and super-G races of the season at Lake Louise.
It was more than a decade ago at the Alberta resort that the American alpine skiing great earned the first of her record 67 World Cup victories by winning a downhill.
Starting with that day in December 2004, when she was a 20-year-old known as Lindsey Kildow, Vonn has accumulated 15 wins at Lake Louise, the most ever by an alpine skier at a single venue.
"It was my very first World Cup speed race and I've always just had a knack for the hill," Vonn says. "I think it suits my technique very well and I obviously have a lot of confidence there so it just seems to equal success for me."
Vonn's most impressive victory at Lake Louise may have come last year, on the heels of an injury-ridden season which included a torn ACL that robbed her of a chance to defend her Olympic downhill title in Sochi.
In only her second race back from her knee ailment, Vonn won a downhill at Lake Louise, sending her on her way to capturing her seventh World Cup season title in that event, as well as her fifth super-G crystal globe.
Injury bug bites again
Unfortunately, leading into this season Vonn fractured a bone in her ankle in a crash during a training session in New Zealand this October. On top of that, she suffered a nasty hand injury while trying to break up a dog fight in early November.
Still, she proclaimed herself ready for this weekend's races.
"I feel like I've gotten all of my injuries and weird things out of the way for right now and hopefully I can have an injury-free season," Vonn says.
And where better to open her season than the place where she's had so much success, dating all the way back to the beginning of her stellar career.
"I still feel really prepared and I'm skiing really well. I'm confident," Vonn says. "My starts may be a tad slow right now but I think by the time I get up to Lake Louise I'll be good."
All three Lake Louise races can be seen live on CBCSports.ca. The action begins with the first of two downhill races on Friday at 12:30 pm. MT / 2:30 p.m. ET, followed by another downhill Saturday at the same start time. Coverage of Sunday's super-G begins at 10:45 a.m. MT / 12:45 p.m. ET.