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Five years after retiring from World Cup ski racing, Lindsey Vonn is rejoining the U.S. ߣÏÈÉú Team.

The three-time Olympic medalist, who claimed gold in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, left the sport with 82 World Cup victories — second only to Ingemar Stenmark at the time.

In a U.S. ߣÏÈÉú Team news press release, Vonn, who grew up training in Vail after moving from Minnesota, said her decision to try and return to ski racing comes after careful consideration following successful knee surgery earlier this year.

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Vonn missed most of the 2013 season and almost all of the 2014 year — including the Sochi Olympics — because of injuries, which she cited as the main reason for her retirement.

Vonn claimed first World Cup victory in 2004 and went on to win four World Cup overall titles, eight world championship medals, 137 World Cup podiums and 82 World Cup victories over 19 seasons. Forty-three of those World Cup wins came in downhill, while 28 came in super-G. However, Vonn suffered multiple injuries from a series of spectacular crashes during her career, which eventually pushed her into retirement after 18 seasons on the World Cup tour.

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Mikaela Shiffrin, who grew up in Eagle County and calls Edwards home, has since surpassed Vonn and Stenmark and is just three wins shy of 100.

“Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey,” Vonn stated in the press release. “I am looking forward to being back with the Stifel U.S. ߣÏÈÉú Team and to continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women.”

Vonn hasn’t been quiet since leaving the sport. She became the first woman to ski the Streif downhill course, taking in the 85-percent gradient in Kitzbühel, Austria in the dark in January of 2023. Rumors of Vonn’s return circulated after the 40-year-old was spotted training in New Zealand and in Soelden, Austria. She told the  “retired with no intention of coming back,” but was surprisingly pain-free after her most recent partial right-knee replacement procedure in the spring. According to the U.S. ߣÏÈÉú and Snowboard Press release, she “feels stronger than ever.”

“Lindsey has made an indelible mark on alpine skiing and our organization throughout her career. We’re delighted to welcome her back,” stated President and CEO of U.S. ߣÏÈÉú & Snowboard Sophie Goldschmidt. “Her dedication and passion towards alpine skiing is inspiring and we’re excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here.”

While Vonn is back with the team,  The 2024 Birds of Prey event in Beaver Creek will feature men’s and women’s World Cup races on back-to-back weekends, offering the potential for Vonn and Shiffrin to compete head-to-head in front of a home audience.

The International ߣÏÈÉú and Snow Federation implemented a wild card rule allowing former champions to acquire a starting bib for races without having to regain ranking points in lower-level events. Eight-time overall World Cup champion  took advantage of the new rule, competing in the Solden season opener after a five-year hiatus.

“Lindsey is someone who has really been there for me throughout my time on the World Cup circuit,” current U.S. ߣÏÈÉú Team athlete Bella Wright stated in the press release. “I never got the opportunity to be Lindsey’s teammate in the past, so the opportunity to ski alongside her is extremely exciting! I can’t wait to see what the U.S. women can do this season.”