Lindsey Vonn suffered a serious fall in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Helicopter deployed: Lindsey Vonn suffers serious fall

Lindsey Vonn suffered a serious fall in the women's downhill race at the Olympic Games and had to be airlifted away by helicopter.

February 08, 2026

From: never

A deathly silence fell over the Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina d'Ampezzo. After just twelve seconds of skiing, Lindsey Vonn's arm caught on a gate, she lost her balance, somersaulted in the air, and crashed heavily. The American lay beside the course with her knees twisted. A team member rushed to her aid and freed her from her skis. The TV cameras captured shocked faces: even Sofia Goggia, who would have started two bib numbers behind Vonn, peered out of the starting gate to take in the scene. Unusual images indeed.

Over the external microphones near the accident site, Vonn's cries, ranging from "Help!" to "Oh my God!", could be heard. The 2010 Olympic champion was treated for several minutes and prepared for helicopter transport. When the helicopter finally arrived and took Vonn away, applause erupted in the finish area.

Vonn: Ultimately, the risk was too high.

That her appearance in the women's downhill at the Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics would make headlines was already clear before the race due to her torn cruciate ligament in her left knee. At a press conference prior to the Winter Games, the ski queen had announced... to want to start despite the serious injuryThe superstar and her coach Aksel Lund Svindal even dreamed of a gold medal. The serious fall on the very slope where she racked up twelve World Cup victories now marks a tragic low point. Was the risk ultimately too high?

Lindsey Vonn had to be airlifted by helicopter. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

“We are all aware of the difficulties Lindsey has had to deal with in recent days,” said Slovenian ski legend Tina Maze. Eurosport“To be able to compete here today, she probably took too many risks. That's how these kinds of crashes happen. If you're not fit, the consequences can be even worse. But we know Lindsey: it was her decision, she wanted to do it – no matter the cost. It's really hard to see this. Especially for her family.” After a break of about 20 minutes, the race resumed.

The departure has now ended: After the Vonn drama, Sofia Goggia won a medal.