American speed queen Vonn to retire at end of season

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Lindsey Vonn, widely regarded as the greatest female ski racer of all-time, will retire from competition following the 2018-19 season even if she fails to break the record for World Cup wins, the American said on Thursday.

The 33-year-old holds the women's record of 82 World Cup wins and trails only Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark's long-standing mark of 86.

"This is going to be my last season. Definitely retiring after this year," Vonn said.

"If I could break the record that would be amazing, if I can't it has been a great ride and I am still the most successful female and I still think that's something to be really proud of. So we'll just see what happens this year."

Lindsey Vonn celebrates during the podium ceremony of the FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, January 20, 2018. /VCG Photo

She in 2015 founded the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, an education-focused organization strengthening the community by supporting girls through scholarships, education and athletics.

Vonn said she would turn her attention to launching her own business when she hangs up her skis.

"My experiences on the slopes have helped shape me into who I am today," she said on Twitter.

"I'm confident those same lessons will pay off as I begin to explore what's next for my career."

Since first tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in 2007, Vonn has suffered frequent knee ligament injuries as well as broken bones. She missed the 2014 Sochi Games due to a serious knee injury which she has been managing ever since.

Lindsey Vonn attends a press conference as a bronze medalist during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games on February 23, 2018. /VCG Photo

The Minnesota-born skier had said at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics that she would not quit until beating Stenmark's record.

"I am hoping that is just one season. I am not going to quit until I get that record, that is for sure, no matter how much pain I am in," Vonn said in February.

Source(s): Reuters