Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn announced she's coming out of retirement and could race as early as December.

Vonn, then Lindsey Kildow, placed sixth in the combined event, the best finish for any U.S. female Alpine skier at the Salt Lake City Games. It remains the best Olympic finish for any Alpine skier from any nation that young since 1976.

Three New Zealanders who have won Olympic gold medals on the water will be in Hawke’s Bay for separate appearances less than a week apart later this month. The first will be Central Otago canoe slalom representative Finn Butcher,