by A.W. Berry

Created on: February 24, 2010   Last Updated: September 05, 2012

Lindsey Vonn is a U.S Olympic Alpine Skier who was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on October 18, 1984. Vonn received great acclaim as a skier after her 2008 season and later during the 2010, Vancouver Winter Olympics when she won a Gold medal for the Women's Alpine Downhill event, and a bronze medal for the Women's Downhill Super G also known as the Super Grand Slalom. Controversy surrounded this second race that challenged Vonn's speed with a course allegedly designed for slower skiers.

After 1990 Vonn competed in Colorado, and later moved to Vail, Colorado, a prime U.S. Skiing area, with her family. Vonn's skiing career saw her rise to the top of her sport with over 30 International Skiing Federation (FIS) World Cup races won, two FIS World Ski Championship triumphs and a first place 2008, 2009 and 2010 overall FIS standing.  Only a few other female U.S. skiers have reached this level of skiing including Erika Hess, Tamara McKinney and Marie Theris-Nadig. Vonn is married to another Skiier named Thomas Vonn and her original name is Lindsey Kildow.

LINDSEY VONN'S ATHLETIC PROFILE:

Like Sean White, a U.S. Olympic Snow Boarder, Lindsey Vonn began competing in her sport before the age of 10.  She showed talent for the sport early on  Vonn's competitive skiing involves 5 types of skiing, Down Hill, Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super Giant Slalom and Women's Super Combined. Each of these types of alpine skiing test skiers agility and technique with differing speeds, gate spacing, and course length. Lindsey Vonn competed in both the 2002 Torin, Italy and 2006 Salt Lake City, Utah winter Olympics, but did not win Olympic Gold until the 2010 Vancouver, Olympics. Vonn competed in the 2010 winter Olympics slalom with men's downhill skis that are less flexible and slightly longer than women's downhill skis.

ADDITIONAL LINDSEY VON FACTS:

Lindsey Vonn used men's Head skis in the 2010 Winter Olympics, these skis allow greater speed but require increased strength to control. Her coach is Thomas Vonn, who was an U.S. Olympic skier in the 2002 winter Olympics. Vonn's parents are named Alan and Linda Kildow, are now divorced, and have  4 other children, 3 of which are triplets. Lindsey's father was also a competitive down hill skier. Lindsey Vonn has over 100, 000 fans on her official Lindsey Vonn face book page and she attended University of Missouri and University of Missouri high school.

Like many Olympic athletes, Lindsey Vonn's life has focused heavily around competitive

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