13 February, 2025

It is not often in life that you have the opportunity to spend time with an Olympic athlete straight after they compete in a world ski championship –but this is exactly what Aiglon students and local community members experienced this week with our ski ambassador, Lindsey Vonn.

Lindsey visited Aiglon College just after her ninth appearance at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach, Austria. As a member of the US ski team, she brings a wealth of experience and energy to share with the three categories of the Aiglon ski squad – from High Performance, Junior Academy, and Development racers. In addition, she helps to inspire all students in the school in their twice-weekly ski lessons.

During her two-day visit, Lindsey spent time on our local ski slopes of Villars-sur-Ollon, as well as activities on campus. It was the third time she visited the school since the partnership was established in 2023. Beyond just her personal visits, Lindsey helped guide the school in the hiring of ski team Head Coach, Marusa Ferk Saioni, a fellow Olympic athlete from Slovenia with whom Lindsey has shared the podium and raced alongside for many years. Lindsey has also helped to develop and shape the ski race programme, ensuring it has the right amount of contact time required to allow young racers to flourish. She provides expert insights in designing and implementing comprehensive training programmes that incorporate her effective training methods and draw upon her past experiences.

“I finished my career after the Olympic season 2022 after 225 World Cup Races,” says Marusa. “Skiing was my job. I learned to be independent; I learned languages; I made lots of friends. I learned how to be a proper athlete, about nutrition and resting, and how to be competitive. I had to grow up a bit faster.” Marusa is excited now to share her skiing passion with the next generation. “Here I have a really good opportunity to share my experience: from the basics to the top-level. It goes from how you prepare yourself, pack your bag, manage school work and arrive at the slopes all the way to the bigger picture that you see when we are training. You need to be consistent, to have motivation and to follow the plan. All of this is part of what will enable the students to improve.”

An Olympic athlete’s experience 
The two-day visit began with on-slope drills with Junior Academy students, followed by an afternoon coaching session with the Performance and Development Squads, alongside Year 11. Lindsey’s expertise and experience provides invaluable, high-quality coaching to students and contributes to the development of Aiglon’s own coaching staff.

“After a busy competition block, with training focused on race performance, this week’s focus has been a return to fundamentals,” says ski team manager Caroline George. “We are working on basic skiing, dynamic movement with a focus on how to create speed and an ability to move between the shorter and longer courses we have set. Lindsey’s presence here is a real inspiration to the students. She offers that extra nugget of feedback, and working alongside our coaches, the students really listen to it and take that on board.” 

Lindsey’s racing career comeback and ongoing training and experience has been a source of inspiration for the community and is invaluable for aspiring athletes. Ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Lindsey has integrated a rigorous fitness regime to her daily life that she was able to share with students as they interacted together over meals, in the classroom and on the slopes.

Excitement On Campus and in the Village
On the second day, junior students swarmed around our ski ambassador. With excitement and pure joy they loved the opportunity to welcome Lindsey to their ‘home’ and to pepper her with questions about her skiing career and return to major competition. Students brought their ski helmets for autographs by their favourite Olympic athlete. Beyond just an opportunity for autographs, Lindsey then went up the mountain with the Year 3 and 4 students to participate in their Mountain School day. This programme blends classroom learning with real outdoor experience. By working with the youngest students in this way, she was introduced to how the school’s values are lived out on and off the mountain.

As a school, we are pleased that having Lindsey on-campus benefits more than just Aiglon’s community. Local families on the slopes, our partner ski schools, and even other international schools in the area were all excited to have Lindsey visit. “It really brings the community together,” says James Pigott, Director of Partnerships. “Lindsey’s presence is inspiring for not just our students, but the village itself. We had plenty of opportunities for photos and visits from other schools. The nature of skiing in a small resort like this means you are out there in the public. I think that’s great both for our community, but also the relationship with Lindsey, to feel it’s a shared experience for everyone.”

Aiglon Scholarship 
In December 2024, Aiglon and the Lindsey Vonn Foundation announced a collaboration for a fully-funded scholar to join the school in September 2025. This reflects the aspirational nature of the partnership that shows a dedication beyond just skiing, but to the holistic development of the whole community in a manner aligned with Aiglon’s Guiding Principles. As a philanthropic school, each year Aiglon offers a small number of fully-funded scholarships to students from families who would not be able to afford the costs associated with an Aiglon education. Since 1991, Aiglon has welcomed 126 scholars, providing support for their continued journey into higher education.

Energised for the Future 
Lindsey Vonn’s journey reflects the resilience and determination Aiglon values. Her visit inspired the community while offering on-the-ground and practical education on how to improve oneself on the ski slope and in the classroom. This partnership continues to inspire students to pursue excellence with confidence and balance. 

“Aiglon is a unique Swiss boarding school: our outdoor location alongside our not-for-profit status gives us the freedom to push beyond the boundaries of traditional education to develop and invest in the best possible experience for our students,” stated School Director Nicola Sparrow. “We are honoured to have Lindsey as our ski ambassador. Her inspirational story and experience will allow us to take Aiglon’s ski programmes to the next level.”