Coaches in high demand

“It’s probably over” – Vonn and Svindal part ways!

Ski legend Aksel Lund Svindal is leaving Lindsey Vonn’s team.(Bild: AP/Marco Trovati)

The partnership between ski star Lindsey Vonn and her coach Aksel Lund Svindal appears to be coming to an end. 

“It’s probably over. Unfortunately, she needs more physical therapists and doctors than ski coaches right now,” said legend Svindal to the Norwegian daily “Verdens Gang.” Yet Vonn had only introduced the Norwegian as her coach last summer—with the clear goal of making another run at the Olympics. Two victories held great promise, but then came Vonn’s dramatic crash. She tore her cruciate ligament, suffered a severe fall at the Olympics, and even faced the possibility of a leg amputation. “Unfortunately, she needs more physical therapists and doctors than a ski coach right now,” said Svindal.

Recovery is making progress
“I think she’s doing well now,” Svindal reported on Vonn’s health. “It’s only natural to feel down when you come out of the hospital. But now it seems like she’s back in the game—and that’s nice to see,” he explained.

The period following the accident, however, had been tough. “It’s perfectly normal to feel down. Then things get pretty quiet, and you become aware of everything.” But Vonn is now “back to her old self.”

New Options for Svindal
While Vonn is fighting for her athletic future, Svindal is already looking ahead. “Several foreign teams have asked if a job elsewhere would be of interest,” Svindal said.

But: “At the same time, I also know that I didn’t actually plan to work as a coach this winter,” he admitted: “It was a lot of fun, but it was also exactly as I had imagined: a travel load that isn’t easily compatible with family life.”

“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my son,” Svindal said, looking ahead. Together with his partner Amalie Iuel, he has a son named Storm.