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Lindsey Vonn, the 29-year-old world champion Alpine Ski racer, has teamed up with fashion designer Cynthia Rowley for her gear at the 2014 Winter Olympic games in Sochi, Russia, which begin February 7th. Rowley has created an exclusive helmet for Vonn which, as you can see, channels a fierce snow leopard in design.

Rowley created four different helmet designs for the event and Vonn took to Facebook on December 26th to ask her fans to vote for the winner. Of the styles, which included gold and floral patterns, the animal print took the medal.

"I wanted to find a way to involve the fans in this exciting chapter in my life. Partnering with Cynthia on the design component was such an obvious choice for me given her talents and our friendship," Vonn said of the collaboration.

Vonn on the slopes. Photo via Getty.

The two met earlier in 2013 when Rowley invited Vonn to attend the CFDA Awards with her, where the two "hit it off immediately," according to Vonn, and have stayed friends ever since.

While the gold medalist spends most of her time in training gear, she said she enjoys fashion. "I still spend a lot of time in workout clothing, but I really also love dressing for the red carpet and experimenting with hair and make up," Vonn said. "I like a little edge or adding something unexpected to my outfits."

Vonn will cruise down the Olympic snow after recovering from devastating injury back in February, when she crashed at the World Championships in Schladming, Austria, tearing two ligaments in her right knee and fracturing a bone in the same leg. Earlier this week, however, the Washington Post reported Vonn was back and triumphing ahead of the Olympics.

· Sochi 2014: Lindsey Vonn continues to triumph as brand with Olympic future in question [Washington Post]

· Ralph Lauren Pledges To Make 2014 Olympics Uniforms in the USA [Racked]