In a move set to shake up the Alpine Skiing scene, Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head) has announced that fellow skiing legend Aksel Lund Svindal will join her as coach for the upcoming Olympic season. Together, the pair boasts an extraordinary record of 118 World Cup victories and 218 podium finishes, making this one of the sport’s most eagerly awaited comebacks.
“I’ve known Aksel for more than 20 years,” Vonn said. “We trained together in Chile and Colorado, and even retired at the same race. To now have him as my coach not just my friend is truly special.”
Vonn’s storied career includes 82 World Cup wins, 138 podiums, four Overall titles, 16 discipline globes, three Olympic medals (including downhill gold at Vancouver 2010), and eight World Championship medals with two golds. Svindal, one of Norway’s greatest athletes, adds 36 World Cup victories, 80 podiums, two Overall titles, nine discipline globes, four Olympic medals (two gold), and nine World Championship medals five of them gold.
Their partnership is rooted in deep trust, mutual respect, and shared vision. Vonn values Svindal’s unmatched technical expertise especially with the equipment both used and his keen understanding of race lines and strategy. “There are very few people in the world I’d trust on line, technique, and equipment and Aksel is one of them,” she said. “He’s always believed in me, even when others questioned my choices.”
For Svindal, the decision to join Vonn was both flattering and unexpected.
“When one of the greatest in the sport calls for your help, it’s an honor,” he admitted. “I didn’t expect to say yes, but I miss the sport and think I can make a real difference. She could arrive at the Olympics as one of the top favorites.”
Vonn hopes to adopt aggressive race tactics more common in men’s skiing and fine-tune her gear under Svindal’s guidance. He believes her speed and strategic approach could make her untouchable on certain sections of a course.
This rare collaboration, a male Olympic champion coaching a female peer is both natural and groundbreaking. As the 2025–26 Olympic season approaches, Vonn’s comeback gains fresh momentum with Svindal in her corner. “It’s a little crazy,” she said, “but we’re both competitors chasing something special together.”
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