
Ski queens —
Normally U.S. teammates, Julia Mancuso (left) will be the one going for gold in Sochi while the injured Lindsey Vonn (right) will watch at home as a TV correspondent.

Big-time performer —
Mancuso, who turns 30 in March, has already had an illustrious career. She has won three Olympic medals and another five at the alpine skiing world championships.

On the podium —
(From left to right) Mancuso finished half a second behind Vonn in the women's downhill at the last Olympics in Vancouver, but was a further second quicker than bronze medalist Elisabeth Gorgl.

Breakthrough success —
But arguably the highlight of her career to date came four years earlier when she won gold at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Sun solution —
Mancuso has endured an up-and-down 2013-14 but insists she has recaptured her best rhythm since returning to her Maui home in Hawaii for a mid-season break.

Back on track —
She made her World Cup return to action in the New Year in Austria, and has since registered her first top-10 finishes this season.

Wide interests —
Off the snow, Mancuso designs underwear and has modeled. Asked how to define herself, she said that was impossible with so many strings to her bow.

Glamor couple —
Mancuso was in a four-year relationship with fellow skier Svindal Aksel Lund until they split in 2013. Here they attend the 2011 wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene.


