{"id":1973124,"date":"2026-06-04T22:49:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T19:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1973124"},"modified":"2026-06-04T22:49:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T19:49:32","slug":"lindsey-vonn-sweeps-u-s-ski-team-awards-winning-athlete-of-the-year-and-best-comeback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1973124","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey Vonn Sweeps U.S. Ski Team Awards Winning Athlete of the Year and Best Comeback"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_381764\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-381764\" style=\"width: 1179px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-381764 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHgAQMAAAAPH06nAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAD1JREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20ON6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA4M8Al+AAAUvMG0oAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0597-min.jpeg?resize=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0597-min.jpeg?w=1179&amp;ssl=1 1179w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0597-min.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0597-min.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0597-min.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"480\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-381764\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0597-min.jpeg?resize=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-381764\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lindsey Vonn\u2019s 2025-26 season was recognized by her teammates, awarding her athlete of the year and comeback of the year. | Image: FIS Alpine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-1\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_1 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Lindsey Vonn has been named Athlete of the Year 2026 by the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team \u2014 voted there by her own teammates and coaches. <\/strong>The 41-year-old alpine skiing legend was named both Athlete of the Year and Best Comeback for the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team in the annual Stifel Awards, which recognize standout athletes, coaches, and staff members across U.S. Ski &amp; Snowboard\u2019s eight disciplines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unlike traditional awards decided by media or sponsors, the Stifel Awards are voted on by athletes, teammates, and staff members \u2014 making the recognition a reflection of the respect Vonn earned within the U.S. ski racing community during her return to competition.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/amid-the-crash-and-the-headlines-lindsey-vonn-broke-a-17-year-record-nobody-was-talking-about\/\"><em><strong>Amid the Crash and the Headlines, Lindsey Vonn Broke a 17-Year Record Nobody Was Talking About<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Vonn\u2019s comeback was one of the most closely followed stories in skiing during the 2025-26 season.<\/strong> After returning to World Cup racing following years away from the sport, she became one of the oldest athletes competing regularly on the circuit and proved she could still race alongside the world\u2019s best. Sadly, her incredible season ended prematurely at Cortina d\u2019Ampezzo during the Olympic downhill \u2014 but the wins, the podiums, and the votes of her peers belong to the full body of work, not just how it ended.<\/p>\n<p><strong>She shared Alpine Athlete of the Year honors with Ryan Cochran-Siegle, whose season highlight was an Olympic silver medal in super-G \u2014 his second Olympic medal in the discipline.<\/strong> Erik Arvidsson joins Vonn as a co-recipient of the Best Comeback award, having returned from a knee injury that kept him off the circuit for the entire 2024-25 season. By February 2026 he had posted his second-best World Cup result ever.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Notable Winners Across the Disciplines<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Cross-country standout Jessie Diggins was voted Athlete of the Year for the women\u2019s Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team in what turned out to be her final competitive season.<\/strong> Diggins officially retired at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign as the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history \u2014 four overall World Cup titles, three Olympic medals, 29 World Cup victories \u2014 and closed the chapter with an Olympic bronze in Milan. Ben Ogden earned the men\u2019s cross-country Athlete of the Year award and also takes Best Comeback, a sign of the American men\u2019s program building momentum for the post-Diggins era.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_385346\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-385346\" style=\"width: 1440px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-385346 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAKAAQMAAAA2A1tgAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAEhJREFUeNrtwQEBAAAAgiD\/r25IQAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAfBnKgAABYDzLiAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"640\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?w=1440&amp;ssl=1 1440w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"640\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-385346\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2217.jpeg?resize=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"640\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-385346\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jessie Diggins is in peak shape just weeks ahead of the Olympics. | Image: U.S. Ski &amp; Snowboard Team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>In freestyle skiing, Grace Henderson and Mac Forehand received Athlete of the Year honors for the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team, while Chris Lillis was recognized as Athlete of the Year for aerials and overall season crystal globe winner Olivia Giaccio earned the same distinction in moguls.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/chaos-plagued-moguls-season-ends-with-azerbaijan-cancellation-usas-olivia-giaccio-claims-first-crystal-globe\/\"><em><strong>Olivia Giaccio Claims Season Crystal Globe<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Several rising athletes were also recognized through Rookie of the Year awards.<\/strong> Alpine racers Elisabeth Bocock and Jevin Palmquist received rookie honors, while Sammy Smith and Murphy Kimball were recognized by the cross-country team.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_390491\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-390491\" style=\"width: 1179px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-390491 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAH6AQMAAACtUm9aAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAD5JREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20PBxQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA8G6AaAAFdBinHAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"506\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2198.jpeg?resize=640%2C506&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2198.jpeg?w=1179&amp;ssl=1 1179w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2198.jpeg?resize=300%2C237&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2198.jpeg?resize=768%2C608&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2198.jpeg?resize=600%2C475&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"506\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-390491\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2198.jpeg?resize=640%2C506&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"506\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-390491\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Elizabeth Lemley mid-air at the 2026 Olympics. | Image: FIS Freestyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-2\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_2 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>The awards also highlighted athletes who battled back from adversity.<\/strong> Freeskier Rell Harwood, aerialist Winter Vinecki, mogul skier and 2026 Olympic Champion Liz Lemley, Nordic combined athlete Tara Geraghty-Moats, and ski jumper Kevin Bickner were among those recognized with Best Comeback honors.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/olympics-usa-strikes-gold-and-silver-as-australias-hopes-shattered-in-womens-moguls-final\/\">[OLYMPICS] USA Strikes Gold and Silver as Australia\u2019s Hopes Shattered in Women\u2019s Moguls<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Coaches were acknowledged across the organization, with Alpine coach Kip Spangler, Cross Country coach Matt Whitcomb, and Freeski coach Ryan Wyble among those receiving Coach of the Year recognition.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now in its fourth year, the Stifel Awards provide cash prizes to recipients and recognize achievements across the Stifel U.S. Ski Team\u2019s alpine, cross-country, freestyle, freeski, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and para-alpine programs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>For many athletes, the most meaningful aspect of the awards may be that they come from the people who see their work every day: teammates, coaches, and support staff. <\/strong>And this year, no athlete earned more recognition from those peers than Lindsey Vonn.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_390601\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-390601\" style=\"width: 1179px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-390601 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHrAQMAAABl2L5kAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAD1JREFUeNrtwYEAAAAAw6D5U1\/hAFUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBlm1sAAaTsRtUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"491\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2212.jpeg?resize=640%2C491&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2212.jpeg?w=1179&amp;ssl=1 1179w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2212.jpeg?resize=300%2C230&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2212.jpeg?resize=768%2C590&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2212.jpeg?resize=600%2C461&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"491\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-390601\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_2212.jpeg?resize=640%2C491&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"491\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-390601\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Franjo von Allmen and Ryan Cochran-Siegle are writing Olympic history. | Image: FIS Alpine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>2026 Stifel U.S. Ski Team Award Winners \u2014 Full Results<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Women<\/th>\n<th>Men<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Lindsey Vonn<\/td>\n<td>Ryan Cochran-Siegle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Elisabeth Bocock<\/td>\n<td>Jevin Palmquist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Mary Bocock<\/td>\n<td>Kyle Negomir<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Lindsey Vonn<\/td>\n<td>Erik Arvidsson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Kip Spangler<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Women<\/th>\n<th>Men<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Jessie Diggins<\/td>\n<td>Ben Ogden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Sammy Smith<\/td>\n<td>Murphy Kimball<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Kendall Kramer<\/td>\n<td>Zak Ketterson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Novie McCabe<\/td>\n<td>Ben Ogden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Matt Whitcomb<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Freeski Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Women<\/th>\n<th>Men<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Grace Henderson<\/td>\n<td>Mac Forehand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Rell Harwood<\/td>\n<td>Hunter Hess<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Avery Krumme<\/td>\n<td>Konnor Ralph<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Avery Krumme<\/td>\n<td>Henry Townshend<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Ryan Wyble<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team \u2014 Aerials<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Winner<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Chris Lillis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Kyra Dossa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Connor Curran<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Winter Vinecki<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Walter Crijanovschi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team \u2014 Moguls<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Winner<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Olivia Giaccio<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Abby McLarnon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Landon Wendler<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Liz Lemley<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Bryon Wilson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Nordic Combined Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Women<\/th>\n<th>Men<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Alexa Brabec<\/td>\n<td>Niklas Malacinski<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Tara Geraghty-Moats<\/td>\n<td>Erik Lynch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Alexa Brabec<\/td>\n<td>Niklas Malacinski<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Emil Vilhelmsen<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Winner<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Patrick Halgren<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Meg Gustafson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Anna Soens<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Stifel U.S. Ski Jumping Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Women<\/th>\n<th>Men<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Athlete of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Annika Belshaw<\/td>\n<td>Kevin Bickner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best Comeback<\/td>\n<td>Josie Johnson<\/td>\n<td>Kevin Bickner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most Improved<\/td>\n<td>Sandra Sproch<\/td>\n<td>Jason Colby<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Josie Johnson<\/td>\n<td>Jason Colby<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Coach of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Karl Vegard Andersen<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lindsey Vonn\u2019s 2025-26 season was recognized by her teammates, awarding her athlete of the year and comeback of the year. | Image: FIS Alpine Lindsey Vonn has been named Athlete of the Year 2026 by the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team \u2014 voted there by her own teammates and coaches. The 41-year-old alpine skiing legend [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1973124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1973124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1973124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1973124\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1973124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1973124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1973124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}