Lindsey Vonn 14th in super-G in return to World Cup skiing at 40 - ESPN

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — Lindsey Vonn took a low-risk approach and finished 14th in a super-G on Saturday to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40.

Vonn crossed the line 1.18 seconds behind Austrian winner Cornelia Huetter.

It was the American standout's first World Cup race after nearly six years of retirement.

«This was the perfect start,» Vonn said. «Today is just the first step and I'm not looking for more. Today I really needed to get to the finish. I wanted to have a solid result. And that's exactly what I did.»

Vonn lost time early in her run but nearly matched the top finishers in the middle and bottom section of the Corvaglia course.

When she reached the finish and saw her time, Vonn flashed a wide smile and waved to the crowd.

«I didn't risk anything with the line. I was a little bit conservative in some sections, but overall I skied really well. Now I just need my top section to be a little faster and I'll be in really good shape,» said Vonn, who is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries, but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and had two titanium pieces inserted into her right knee. Her knee feels better than it has in years, so she decided to come back.

Vonn left the tour with 82 World Cup wins — the record for a woman at the time and within reach of the then all-time Alpine mark of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women's record held by Vonn was eclipsed in January 2023 by American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has an outright record 99 wins.

Shiffrin, who shares the record of five wins in St. Moritz with Vonn, isn't racing this weekend as she recovers from abdominal