In Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Lindsey Vonn's father, Alan Kildow, publicly stated on Monday that he believes the American ski legend's days on the mountain have come to an end following a serious crash during the Olympic downhill race. The incident, which resulted in a broken left leg, has led Kildow to insist that no further ski competitions should be pursued if he has any influence.
“She’s 41 years old and this is the conclusion of her career,” Kildow remarked during a telephone interview. “There will be no more races for Lindsey Vonn as long as my opinion counts.”
Since the accident, Vonn has been under medical treatment at a hospital in Treviso, having been airlifted off the course after the crash on Sunday. Alan Kildow, along with Vonn’s siblings—a brother and two sisters—have been present throughout her hospitalization, providing support.
In a message to her followers on Instagram late Monday, Vonn revealed the extent of her injury: a complex fracture of the tibia that, while currently stable, will necessitate several surgical procedures to properly heal.
Kildow refrained from commenting on the medical specifics but provided insight into Vonn's mental state. “She’s incredibly strong,” he said. “She understands physical pain and appreciates the gravity of her situation. Her ability to manage these challenges has been better than expected. Lindsey handles adversity remarkably well.”
A former professional ski racer himself and Vonn’s first coach, Kildow shared that he spent the night in her hospital room to ensure she never felt alone. “Lindsey has constant company—many family members and friends are with her at all times. We intend to stay as long as she remains there.”
The family witnessed Vonn's accident firsthand from the finish area. Kildow described the emotional impact of seeing his daughter crash: “Initially, the shock and horror are overwhelming. Crashes like that can be traumatic to experience. The force of such impacts is terrifying.”
He continued, “An emotional and psychological shock can set in because it is difficult to accept what has happened. Fortunately, Lindsey is receiving exceptional care here in Italy, with top medical professionals from the U.S. Ski Team ensuring she is well looked after.”
It is important to note that Vonn had competed despite a torn ACL in her left knee suffered just nine days prior during a separate crash. Kildow emphasized that her recent injury was unrelated to the earlier ACL tear.
“Her crash was not connected to the ACL injury on her left leg. She demonstrated high-level function during two downhill training runs and had been medically cleared by expert physicians to compete,” he explained.
Explaining the mechanics behind the crash, Kildow said it was more a result of Vonn pushing her racing line to its limits, leading her to clip a gate early in her run and lose control.
“Sometimes in downhill racing, you need to reduce speed slightly and choose a less aggressive line to maintain control. In this case, that split-second decision could have prevented the accident,” he noted.
Vonn’s history at Cortina is notable, holding the record for 12 World Cup wins on this circuit. She had recently returned from nearly six years of retirement and a partial titanium surgical replacement in her right knee. Her performance this season was remarkable, with two downhill victories and seven podium finishes out of eight completed races, including a fourth-place finish.
Kildow highlighted her career achievements, pointing out that Vonn’s 84 World Cup wins place her second among female skiers, trailing only teammate Mikaela Shiffrin’s 108 victories. He also remarked on the significant differences between speed disciplines like downhill and technical ones such as slalom.
Regarding the remainder of the Olympics, Kildow confirmed that Vonn will not attend to support teammates or for any other reason. “She’s not in that state of mind. She will return home at the right time.”