By Manuele Lang
Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:38am EST
1 of 3. Lindsey Vonn (front R) of the U.S. and her boyfriend, golfer Tiger Woods leave after the Women's World Cup Downhill skiing race in Val d'Isere, French Alps, December 21, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Robert Pratta
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> VAL D'ISERE, France (Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn's injured knee let her down once again on Saturday, raising doubts about whether the downhill Olympic champion would be in a position to defend her title at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>The American four-times World Cup champion, watched for the first time in a World Cup race by boyfriend Tiger Woods, missed a gate in the middle section of French resort Val d'Isere's OK piste and later said her knee was to blame.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>"I didn't hurt myself more than I'm already hurt," Vonn told reporters.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"Unfortunately I have no ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and it gave out on me.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>"It was a small compression, and it was fully loaded on the right ski and my knee just completely gave out. I tried to pressure the ski again and it gave out again. I had no chance of making that gate, unfortunately."
<span id="midArticle_5"/>Vonn first tore ligaments in her right knee at the world championships in Schladming in February and she aggravated the injury in training at Copper Mountain, Colorado, last month.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>Her initial return to competition in Lake Louise two weeks ago had been promising as she climbed from 40th in her first downhill to fifth in the Super-G held two days later.
<span id="midArticle_7"/>Now the doubts are back for the second most successful female skier in history with 59 World Cup wins, three less than Austria's Anne-Marie Moser-Proell.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>"It's certainly not the return I had anticipated," she said.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>"It was Tiger's first time on a World Cup race and I was really hoping to win my 60th as a present for him."
<span id="midArticle_10"/>She said she would have to learn to live with the injury and potentially adjust her technique to reduce the impact on her knee.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>KAUFMANN-ABDERHALDEN VICTORY
<span id="midArticle_12"/>She remained optimistic, however, about her chances of being competitive at Sochi in February.
<span id="midArticle_13"/>"I'm going to stick to a similar plan that I was on before. I just need to be more careful of how many races I do.
<span id="midArticle_14"/>"I'm at risk of doing more damage to my knee and my meniscus. So I'm going to play it safe and race really minimal races. Probably one or two before the Olympics."
<span id="midArticle_15"/>Vonn missed the races held in St Moritz last weekend and told Reuters that she probably would not return before Cortina d'Ampezzo on January 16, a resort where she has won seven previous races.
<span id="midArticle_0"/>Before her mishap Vonn had already been making headlines, having been besieged at her hotel by journalists, photographers and paparazzi because of Woods's presence.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>The golfer was seen at the bib ceremony on Friday and the pair were also spotted in a tea lounge downtown.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>On Saturday, sporting a grey hat, shades and a checked anorak, he stood in the finish area, his back to the press and remained expressionless when his girlfriend faulted.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"He was very happy to be here and he told me he was very concerned by what's happening to me," Vonn said.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Her rivals also wished her a prompt return to her best form.
<span id="midArticle_5"/>"I talked to Tiger a bit in the finish area," World Cup champion Tina Maze said.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>"He didn't bring her luck today. But I respect them both very much and I hope Lindsey will soon recover."
<span id="midArticle_7"/>The Slovenian finished second in the Val d'Isere downhill behind unheralded Swiss Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden, who clinched her maiden World Cup victory.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>(Reporting by Manuele Lang; editing by Josh Reich)
<span id="midArticle_9"/>
Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:38am EST
1 of 3. Lindsey Vonn (front R) of the U.S. and her boyfriend, golfer Tiger Woods leave after the Women's World Cup Downhill skiing race in Val d'Isere, French Alps, December 21, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Robert Pratta
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> VAL D'ISERE, France (Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn's injured knee let her down once again on Saturday, raising doubts about whether the downhill Olympic champion would be in a position to defend her title at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>The American four-times World Cup champion, watched for the first time in a World Cup race by boyfriend Tiger Woods, missed a gate in the middle section of French resort Val d'Isere's OK piste and later said her knee was to blame.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>"I didn't hurt myself more than I'm already hurt," Vonn told reporters.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"Unfortunately I have no ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and it gave out on me.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>"It was a small compression, and it was fully loaded on the right ski and my knee just completely gave out. I tried to pressure the ski again and it gave out again. I had no chance of making that gate, unfortunately."
<span id="midArticle_5"/>Vonn first tore ligaments in her right knee at the world championships in Schladming in February and she aggravated the injury in training at Copper Mountain, Colorado, last month.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>Her initial return to competition in Lake Louise two weeks ago had been promising as she climbed from 40th in her first downhill to fifth in the Super-G held two days later.
<span id="midArticle_7"/>Now the doubts are back for the second most successful female skier in history with 59 World Cup wins, three less than Austria's Anne-Marie Moser-Proell.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>"It's certainly not the return I had anticipated," she said.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>"It was Tiger's first time on a World Cup race and I was really hoping to win my 60th as a present for him."
<span id="midArticle_10"/>She said she would have to learn to live with the injury and potentially adjust her technique to reduce the impact on her knee.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>KAUFMANN-ABDERHALDEN VICTORY
<span id="midArticle_12"/>She remained optimistic, however, about her chances of being competitive at Sochi in February.
<span id="midArticle_13"/>"I'm going to stick to a similar plan that I was on before. I just need to be more careful of how many races I do.
<span id="midArticle_14"/>"I'm at risk of doing more damage to my knee and my meniscus. So I'm going to play it safe and race really minimal races. Probably one or two before the Olympics."
<span id="midArticle_15"/>Vonn missed the races held in St Moritz last weekend and told Reuters that she probably would not return before Cortina d'Ampezzo on January 16, a resort where she has won seven previous races.
<span id="midArticle_0"/>Before her mishap Vonn had already been making headlines, having been besieged at her hotel by journalists, photographers and paparazzi because of Woods's presence.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>The golfer was seen at the bib ceremony on Friday and the pair were also spotted in a tea lounge downtown.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>On Saturday, sporting a grey hat, shades and a checked anorak, he stood in the finish area, his back to the press and remained expressionless when his girlfriend faulted.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"He was very happy to be here and he told me he was very concerned by what's happening to me," Vonn said.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Her rivals also wished her a prompt return to her best form.
<span id="midArticle_5"/>"I talked to Tiger a bit in the finish area," World Cup champion Tina Maze said.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>"He didn't bring her luck today. But I respect them both very much and I hope Lindsey will soon recover."
<span id="midArticle_7"/>The Slovenian finished second in the Val d'Isere downhill behind unheralded Swiss Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden, who clinched her maiden World Cup victory.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>(Reporting by Manuele Lang; editing by Josh Reich)
<span id="midArticle_9"/>
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