VONN Thomas (USA) 03,Dec,1975 Newburgh, NY 183cm / 89kg SKI: Fischer BOOTS: Nordica BINDING: Atomic Soelden 02 GS Val d'Isere 02 GS Salt Lake 2002 SG/ 9th World Cup Ranking General 1999/113th, 2000/108th, 2002/102nd, 2003/111th, Special 2002 GS/35th, SG/38th. 2003 GS/55th, SG/39th. 2003 St.Moritz SG/DNF. Olympic Games 2002 Salt Lake City SG/9th, GS/19th. World Cup 13. SG: Beaver Creek 03, 14. GS: Alta Badia 02, 17. GS: Alta Badia 00, 20. SG: Kvitfjell 02, 22. GS: Alta Badia 99, Val d'Isere 01, 24. GS: Beaver Creek 00, 26. GS: Kranjska Gora 02, 27. GS: Parc City 99, Hinterstoder 00, Park City 03, 28. SG: Kitzbuhel 01, 30. GS: Ofterschwang 99, When Thomas Vonn failed to make the ‘01 World Championships Team, he didn’t pout. He dropped back to the Nor Am circuit and frustrated a lot of opponents with some outstanding GS and super G skiing; for the season, he collected three victories and was third overall in the Nor Am standings and was No. 1 overall in the Chevy Truck Super Series. This winter, Vonn, who has been doing more super G racing in the last couple of seasons, is anxious to earn his first trip to the Olympics. Super G gives him a second opportunity to go with his typically strong GS. Start-up: Vonn came late to ski racing; on skis at 3 (Hunter Mountain), he didn’t start racing until he was 12. He enrolled in the Northwood School/NYSEF program and fine-tuned his gate-running instincts. During the ‘96 season, he made coaches pay attention by winning eight FIS-B giant slaloms. Named to the Ski Team for ‘97, he struggled and decided to catch his breath in ‘98 as he went to St. Lawrence. It turned out to be just what Vonn needed; he rebounded to earn a spot on the ‘99 Ski Team and hung-up three top-30 results. And had three more in ‘00. Last winter, he scored in both GS and, for the first time, in super G on the World Cup tour in addition to his Nor Am successes. Coachsez: "He fell a bit in GS rankings last season but Thomas stepped forward in super G, so he’s got a good position in both events for the World Cup. It’s clear he’s progressed in terms of speed and confidence. GS will continue to be No. 1, no question, but it’s nice to have that super G coming along, too." - Jesse Hunt Semi-inevitable Nickname: "Vonnerator" Fast company: He completed an auto race course in Amsterdam before the ‘01 season. Text by US Ski Team Biorama Basel