Alpine Skier Lindsey Vonn Conquers the World

I was there visiting the students at in the cafeteria. So the entire school was there. And this cute kid, you know, was super nervous and his voice was cracking non-stop and he was like, will you go to the Homecoming with me or the prom? And I was like,

what's up, guys? Nicki Novak here in the Young Hollywood studio with World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn. Anytime we have the world's best at anything on the couch, I mean, I'm it actually might be a first. I don't know. When you're four-time World Cup champion. Yeah. How does it feel to be the best in the world at something?

It's pretty cool. It's been a great season. I'm really happy with the way everything went. And you know, last year I lost the World Cup by three points, um, because the last couple of races were canceled. So this year, I really wanted to come out with a bang and it was a great year. So I'm just really happy.

Is this It astounds me what you do, because number one, before we started rolling, by the way, Lindsey told me she does not like cold weather. How I don't. Can you explain this?

I hate the cold, actually. Yeah, I really do. Um, and you know, it's really not warm skiing down in a tight spandex uh race suit with like pretty much nothing under it. So I would much rather have been a tennis player. Uh, however, I'm terrible at tennis.

Are you? I was going to ask you because I heard that you're a huge tennis fan.

I'm a huge tennis fan.

Okay. Tennis fan, it's almost like Twilight. I like like Team Edward or Jacob. Yeah. That's I'm I'm better. Yeah. Thank you, Lindsey. Yeah. Me too. What other sports are you good at other than obviously pretty good at skiing?

I'm kind of like okay at some things. I'm not really good at anything else. I tried figure skating. That was not a good idea. Uh, I did gymnastics for a long time. I was actually okay at gymnastics. I was just too tall. You'd be like probably twice as tall as the average as the average gymnast. Yeah. So that wasn't

No, they didn't work out so well for you. Obviously, the drive has to come from some Like, do you think that's something you're born with or do you think it's something that you just love the sport so much that that sort of fed the drive?

Um, I think it's a combination of both. I think when I was younger, it was more of my talent that was driving me. And I was naturally good at skiing, but um, I think, you know, recently it's more of my work ethic and my drive, um, that makes me successful. But, you know, you can't have one without the other. You have to have a little bit of both.

I heard that when you were young, you met two of your idols, and one of them was really nice and one of them wasn't, who will shall remain nameless.

Nameless.

And then as a result, you've always been really good to your fans, and you went to a homecoming recently.

Yeah, I did. Yeah. I mean, I, you know, I remember so vividly how traumatized I was when the person I looked up to was rude and and kind of hurtful, honestly. And and uh I never want to be like that. You know, even if I'm having a tough day, I always want to try to put on a good face. And especially with kids, you know, they're so um easily influenced and and you know, they're they're like little sponges. And if you, you know, are are mean, you know, it's going to make a huge impact. But I did go to prom. Yes.

How was that? Where was it?

Uh it was in Vail, Colorado. Um I'm on the board of the academy there. So um I was there visiting the students at the in the cafeteria. So the entire school was there. And this cute kid, you know, was super nervous and his voice was cracking non-stop. And he was like, will you go to the Homecoming with me or the prom? And I was like, uh You know, he wasn't He wasn't a punk. He wasn't doing it just to, you know, just to be annoying. He was doing it to be the most popular guy in school and say that he had a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model be his prom date. I mean, his his popularity has probably skyrocketed. It's pretty funny because his his mother at first was like, wow, that was so nice, you know, thank you so much. You know, he's he's he's so excited. And then two days later, he was like, she she said, What have you done? You've created a monster. He's Yeah, he's full of himself now.

Oh, really? Does he text you and everything? Does he stay in touch?

He still Yeah, he stays in touch.

What's the fastest you've ever gone on the slopes that you know of?

I mean, it's it's tough because they don't they don't have the speed gun out at the fastest places on the course. Um, but probably fastest, probably like 92 94.

Am I talking miles per hour here?

Yeah.

Well, I have a little because 2014 Olympics are coming up, and you are going to be in Russia. Yes. So I wanted to give you a little quiz just to make sure you're brushed up on your Russian knowledge. Okay. What percentage of the government's income comes from the sale of vodka? 3%, 5%, or 10%?

10%.

Yes. How did you know that?

Uh, I think they drink vodka for water. Pretty much, right? That's the breakfast.

Yes. How many Cs, as in like bodies of water, are there in Russia? 5, 12, or 20?

12.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Moscow has the world's most widely used blank. Libraries, subway systems.

Subway systems.

She didn't even wait for the final two, and the final two were McDonald's and fur hats. Thanks for coming in.

Thank you for inviting me. Congratulations.

Thank you. Fourth World Cup World champ.