Lindsey Vonn lost control after landing a jump in Crans-Montana and was thrown into the safety nets
The 41-year-old was evacuated by helicopter for evaluation
The crash comes just one week before the Milan Cortina opening ceremony
American alpine skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a heavy crash in her final World Cup downhill race before the Winter Olympics, casting serious doubts over her participation in the Milan Cortina Games. The 41-year-old was airlifted from the course in Crans-Montana for medical evaluation after appearing to injure her left knee.
Vonn was the third skier to crash in Friday’s FIS Alpine Ski World Cup race. She lost control after landing a jump on the upper section of the course and was thrown into the safety nets.
After receiving medical attention for around five minutes, she stood up in pain, using her ski poles to support herself. She then skied slowly to the finish area, stopping several times and clutching her left knee.
"She has some pain, so it’s better to have some checks," Vonn's coach, two-time Olympic champion Aksel Lund Svindal, said. "The physio did some checks. They seemed OK, but there were things he was not 100% sure (about), so it was good to have it checked.”
Vonn was escorted into a medical tent before being airlifted by helicopter, suspended from a hoist cable with two medical attendants. The U.S. Ski Team confirmed that she was being evaluated.
Before being flown out, Vonn shared an embrace with teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who was leading the race at the time of cancellation. Vonn appeared anxious during the exchange.
“I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her,” International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann said. “I don’t know if it’s really heavy and (if) she won’t miss the Olympics. Let’s wait for what the doctors are saying.”
Crash Comes One Week Before Milan Cortina
The crash occurred exactly seven days before the Milan Cortina opening ceremony, with Vonn scheduled to compete in the women’s downhill on February 8, followed by the super-G and the new team combined event.
The Olympics’ women’s alpine skiing events will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a venue where Vonn holds the record for most World Cup wins (12).
Vonn had been in excellent form since making a comeback at age 40, following nearly six years away. Despite racing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she entered Friday as the World Cup’s leading downhiller, with two wins and three more podium finishes in five races.
Multiple Crashes Force Race Cancellation
Vonn was the sixth skier to start and had posted the fastest split at the first checkpoint before landing off-balance. She raised her left arm and pole, trying to recover, but was spun around while braking and slammed into the nets.
Two skiers had already crashed earlier – Nina Ortlieb of Austria and Marte Monsen of Norway. After delays, only Wiles and Olympic champion Corinne Suter completed their runs before Vonn’s accident resulted in the race being cancelled.
“You can’t see,” French skier Romane Miradoli said. “And it’s bumpy everywhere.” Asked if conditions were dangerous, she said, “We just couldn’t see well.”
(With AP Inputs)
