Lindsey Vonn penned a heartfelt birthday note to her coach, Aksel Lund Svindal, as she continues her 2025-26 World Cup run, leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina. Vonn qualified for her fifth Games and her first since 2018, before she finally retires.
Vonn retired in 2019 and was on a recovery journey, even undergoing a partial knee replacement surgery in April 2024. It didn’t take long for her to decide she was not done, and she made her comeback in the 2024-25 World Cup season.
Lindsey Vonn Wishes Coach Aksel Lund Svindal a Heartfelt Birthday
The Norwegian former skier, who retired around the same time as Vonn, celebrated his 43rd birthday on December 26, 2025. The two-time overall World Cup champion, who now trains the latter in the build-up to the Winter Games, received a heartfelt birthday note from the 83-time World Cup winner.
Vonn shared a picture with her coach and captioned:
“Happy Birthday @asvindal!! Thankful to have you as a friend and now teammate.”
Vonn took to the slopes in the speed events in St. Moritz after she and Svindal completed training sessions at the venue. The 41-year-old was nothing short of phenomenal, becoming the oldest downhill skiing World Cup winner and extending her win tally to 83 with her first top finish since 2018.
Across 10 days, the 2010 downhill Olympic gold medalist amassed one win, four podiums, and a fourth place in five races. Vonn’s comeback has not been just picking herself back up, but rebuilding herself. In the past season, she won the silver medal in the Super-G at the Sun Valley finals.
Vonn and Svindal had forged a friendship in their competitive days and have been each other’s support systems for nearly 20 years. Now, that bond has grown even closer as they became teammates.
In an Instagram post, the Norwegian shared that he didn’t think of returning to the sport until Vonn approached him to be her coach.
READ MORE: Why Coaching Lindsey Vonn During Her Comeback Changed Everything for Aksel Lund Svindal
He thanked his fellow skier and mentee for the opportunity, saying it allowed him to witness her progress as she took on challenges along the way.
Vonn previously shared that she chose Svindal as her coach because she trusts him with line selection, technique, and equipment. She also praised her friend for always supporting her, while others questioned her bold career choices. A male former skier rarely steps into a coaching role for a female peer, but Vonn and Svindal’s partnership has already found its footing in the ongoing World Cup season.
