Julia Mancuso vs. Lindsey Vonn: Catfight, Scripted, or Just a Media-Created Mess?

According to Mancuso – winner of two silver Olympic medals; Vonn has a gold and a bronze – that’s the story the media is running with. Who doesn’t love a good catfight between two hot Olympic skiers? Problem is, Mancuso claims there’s no rift. She wrote on Facebook that yesterday’s debacle on the slopes isn’t a big deal, and if you read between the lines, she claims there’s bitterness toward Vonn for snagging an SI cover and being part of the magazine’s swimsuit issue. (Mancuso, as the photos above show, is built pretty impressively, herself.)

Mancuso’s quotes in Sports Illustrated earlier this week tell a different story:

"“Our team is struggling, as a group,” says Mancuso. “People are having a hard time reaching their potential because it’s such a struggle for attention. You come to meetings after races and it’s like it’s a bad day if Lindsey didn’t do well.”"

Those quotes hurt Vonn’s feelings, of course.

"“I try to support Julia as much as I support all the other teammates. I have been racing with Julia since I was a little kid and yes we are competitors but I always support her and it has definitely hurt me that she has said some negative things about me. All I can do is continue to support her like I always have done and hope that she reciprocates that.”"

Anyone else smell a well-crafted “feud” between skiing’s golden girls in an effort to redirect the Olympic spotlight back to skiing, which has taken a backseat to figure skating and hockey this week?