Alpine skiing: Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin & co. gear up for new season

Snow is falling. Mountains are transforming into winter playgrounds. And the world's best ski racers are gearing up for the thrills and spills of a new World Cup season.

The World Cup circuit begins in Solden, Austria on October 27 and takes in 34 resorts in 15 countries across Europe and North America before finishing with the finals week at Soldeu, Andorra in March.
Throw in Classic races such as Wengen, Kitzbuehel and Schladming's crazy night slalom, plus February's World Championships in Are, Sweden, and you have a white winter's worth of cow-bell clanging action.
Ahead of what could be an historic season for ski racing, here are the main talking points.
Lindsey Vonn -- History beckons
Vonn is on the brink of becoming the most successful ski racer in history.
One. More. Season.
The big talking point will be the American veteran's final bid to beat Ingemar Stenmark's all-time record of 86 World Cup victories.
At nearly 34 years old, and with an injury-ravaged body just about holding together, Vonn is just five wins short of becoming the most successful ski racer -- male or female -- in history.
Injuries aside, it's surely a case of when, not if.
But she has vowed this season will be her last on the circuit, record or not.
"If I get it, that would be a dream come true," she told NBC.
"If I don't, I think I've had an incredibly successful career no matter what."