American ski legend Lindsey Vonn is training at Roundhill Ski Area in Tekapo, joining members of the USA alpine team at the resort located about three and a half hours from Christchurch. She shared photos online in her team gear, writing on LinkedIn: “Made it to New Zealand for summer ski camp.”
Widely considered one of the greatest speed skiers of all time, Vonn’s career includes 20 World Cup crystal globes, a record 43 downhill wins, and the 2010 Olympic downhill gold in Vancouver. Though she retired in 2019, a knee replacement in 2024 spurred her return to competition. She said post-surgery rehab quickly restored strength she hadn’t felt in years: “I feel stronger now than I did in my mid to late 20s.”
Now 40, Vonn placed consistently in the top 16 during the 2024-25 season and earned her first post-comeback podium with a second-place finish at the 2025 Alpine World Cup in Sun Valley, Idaho. At Roundhill, she has been spotted training alongside teammates Paula Moltzan and Patrick Kenne.
The Tekapo ski field, boasting Australasia’s largest vertical drop (783m), has increasingly attracted world-class athletes. One local quipped online that Vonn should keep quiet about it, calling Roundhill “our best kept secret.”
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