Lindsey Vonn gears up for Olympic gold

She's arguably the best female ski racer in the world and in February Lindsey Vonn will haver her shot at Olympic glory.  It's an incredible journey for this Minnesota girl who got her start at Buck Hill.

"I guess it does pay off to dream big," Burnsville's Lindsey Vonn admitted after one of her many World Cup ski victories last season.

For Vonn, those dreams started early. She was on skiis when she was three years old, began racing at Buck Hill shortly after that, and was competing internationally when she was just nine.

"I always wanted to be an Olympian. I always wanted to be a ski racer. I just never imagined things would go the way they've gone."

How they've gone, is 22 World Cup victories.  She is this country's biggest and brightest hope in Alpine skiing at the upcoming Games in Vancouver.  She's been on NBC's Today Show and Conan O'Brien.  She's hung out with Roger Federer at Wimbledon, thrown out the first pitch at a Cubs game, and walked the red carpet at the Emmys.  She has achieved rock star status in Europe, and has landed some major sponsorship deals already. 

But Vonn is far different of what you'd expect from the winningest American ski racer in the history of the sport.  Her husband, former Olympian ski racer Thomas Vonn, doesn't see any of the fame changing his wife.

"You know, people ask me, 'Is Lindsey going to get a big head and turn into a diva?' And I'm like, it's just not possible. She's Minnesota nice," he said.

At a recent appearance at Hoigaard's in St. Louis Park, Vonn was more than generous with the well-wishers and fans that came by to get her autograph. She is especially attendant to the younger ski supporters. 

"I wanna be that person that they can look up to, and set a good example for them. I really take the responsibility of being a role model, very seriously," she stated.

Perhaps even more after what happened at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. An accident in a downhill training run left her hospitalized, ruining her hopes for a medal. Instead of getting down though, Vonn's fire was lit.

"I honestly think that experience was good. I think it was one of the best things that's ever happened to me.  I mean, I've always been a pretty hard worker, but this definitely took it to a new level," Vonn said. "Six hours a day, six days a week, just working my butt off."

Two straight World Cup Overall championships, and ready for a third, and after that, she'll compete in the Olympics. She's scheduled to be entered in five Alpine events in Vancouver in February, but wouldn't offer up any predictions.

"I don't wanna speculate. I want to experience it," she said with a smile on her face.

NOTE:  Fans can be a part of Lindsey's Olympic experience too through a cool contest to design the artwork that will appear on her helmet at the Games in Vancouver.  Find out more by going to KARE 11's Olympic website:  www.kare11.com/olympics.

Fans can also follow Eric Perkins' blog as tracks the progress of all of Minnesota's Olympic hopefuls.

Check out our KARE family of Web sites:
	takeKARE		Metromix
	Moms Like Me		Minnesota Bound
	Showcase Minnesota