Vonn plans ‘to go full throttle’ in last race of her storied career

ARE, Sweden — Anyone expecting Lindsey Vonn to take it easy in her last race should think again.

Doesn’t matter if she’s still banged up from a crash with a black eye and a sore rib, not to mention the pain in both knees that led her to move up her retirement.

“Whether I’m ready or not,” Vonn said. “I’m just going to go full throttle.”

It will be a fitting way to go out for the record-setting skier in Sunday’s downhill at the world championships.

Norwegian great Aksel Lund Svindal set the stage for Vonn by winning the silver medal in the men’s downhill Saturday in his last race.

“She didn’t win 82 World Cups by being lucky,” Svindal said. “If she gets a medal, it wouldn’t surprise me at all. It just comes down to that one day. Good luck!”

Vonn’s 82 wins are the most all time by a female skier and trail only the 86 won by Swedish great Ingemark Stenmark.

A medal would bring Vonn full circle: Her two silvers at the 2007 worlds in Are were the first major championship successes of her career. She also won the downhill in Are at last year’s World Cup finals.

“I have a lot of great memories in Are,” Vonn said. “Sweden feels like home to me, very similar to Minnesota, flat and cold. I love it, it’s beautiful.”

Afterward, it will be time to celebrate.

“Oh, yeah,” she said. “Full on, full gas, all day.”