Lindsey Vonn wants to race against men
In a letter to the International Ski Federation (FIS), Vancouver gold medal-winning skier Lindsey Vonn asked to compete against men in the first event of the upcoming season. She said her aim is to enhance the image of women's Alpine skiing. The federation said they will consider Vonn's request, but they need to go through their rules carefully to see if it's allowed.
This isn't as simple as Vonn just wanting to race against different competition and break a few barriers. If she is allowed to ski with the men at Lake Louise in Alberta, she will have an advantage when she races against women on that same course.
"It's complicated because no racer is supposed to ski on a race course a week prior to his or her own competition. If Lindsey Vonn could train and compete with the men in November, she would have a huge advantage on her rivals the following week during the women's races on the same course," Atle Skaardal, the director of the women's World Cup said.
The decision will be made during the FIS meetings in November. If she is allowed, her race will bring attention to the sport in a non-Winter Olympics year, but it also could give her an advantage when competing for the World Cup that she has won four times.
