After skiing out in the second run of the giant slalom opener in Soelden, Lindsey Vonn is taking a pass on the season's first slalom race in Levi this weekend, choosing instead to remain in Colorado to prepare for races later this month.

U.S. Ski Team spokesman Doug Haney said Vonn is healthy and the four-time champ was simply looking to avoid the long haul to the Arctic Circle. Her decision was made quite a bit easier by the prime training conditions at Vail and Copper Mountain this month.

Haney said Julia Mancuso is also planning to sit this one out.

"It's just a long way to go for one race," said Haney. "We've got the best training anywhere in the world right now. … We held our other guys in the U.S. for as long as possible. Nolan [Kasper] and Will [Brandenburg] fly to Europe tomorrow because the training they've been getting at Vail and Copper is far better than what anyone is getting in Europe."

Both Vonn and Mancuso are expected to return to competition at the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational World Cup Nov. 24-25.

Photos: GEPA
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