Lindsey Vonn Crash: Hospitalized After Ski Fall in Crans-Montana

Ski star Lindsey Vonn fell violently during the World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana. During the race in Switzerland, the American fell after a jump after just a few seconds of driving and slipped into a safety net.

The 41-year-old, the best downhill skier of the winter and favorite for Olympic gold, only hesitantly got up again after some supervisors had looked after the athlete. Vonn was able to ski to the finish again, but he held his left knee several times.

It was initially unclear whether she had injured her joint as a result of the mishap at the Olympic dress rehearsal. “We’re not entirely sure, she’s being examined now,” said Vonn’s coach, former world-class downhill skier Aksel Lund Svindal, about the 41-year-old on ORF. She had “pain in her left foot and left knee,” “but I’m staying positive.”

Vonn returned to the World Cup last season with a partial prosthesis in his right knee. She dared to make a comeback with the ultimate goal of winning another medal at this season’s Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The last descent before the Olympics was in Crans-Montana in the canton of Valais. Even before Vonn, who started the race with start number six, Nina Ortlieb from Austria and the Norwegian Marte Monsen fell.

Immediately after Vonn’s crash and the subsequent ride of a forerunner, the jury decided to stop the race. As seen on TV images, a precursor reported difficult conditions.

Drivers who were still at the start reacted with incomprehension. “This is ridiculous,” said German Kira Weidle-Winkelmann. Vonn’s teammate and world champion Breezy Johnson recalled that they had already raced in poor visibility this winter.

Wolfgang Maier, the long-time alpine boss and sports director in the German Ski Association (DSV), spoke on ZDF of “individual skiing errors” that led to the falls. He said the slope was prepared “not badly, but not completely evenly.” The fallen racing drivers did not live up to this “extreme challenge”.