Daniel ALBRECHT

Daniel Albrecht was born in Fiesch, Valais, Switzerland on May 25th 1983 and will probably be best remembered for his crash in Kitzbuehel on January 22nd 2009 that saw his remain in a drug induced coma for almost a month. The Swiss skier made his World Cup debut in 2003 in the legendary slalom race of Schladming in 2003 but failed to finish. The first time he really demonstrated his potential came in 2005 when he finished fourth in the supercombined at Wengen.

Following that result at the age of just 19 he struggled to really make a name for himself on the World Cup tour for the next couple of years and was often out of the top 15 finishers in his favored slalom and giant slalom disciplines.

2007 was the breakthrough year for the young prodigy. The World Championships in Are, Sweden, put his name on the map definitively as he claimed gold in the supercombined and silver in the giant slalom. A month later he managed a second place in the 2007 finals of Lenzerheide in the downhill, result that gave him the confidence to become an all rounder.

Nine months after the incredible experience of the World Championships he grabbed his first victory in World Cup in the supercombined of Beaver Creek. He followed that result up just a few days later with another win in Giant Slalom in the same venue.

It was a land mark for Albrecht who it seemed was destined for great things. The Swiss star collected another two victories in World Cup in the 2008/09 season, starting in the best of ways by taking the win on the opening race of the season in Soelden's giant slalom. He also won another legendary GS race in Alta Badia just two months later.

On January 22, 2009, Albrecht crashed in a Thursday downhill training run on the Streif course in Kitzbühel, Austria; he sustained brain and lung injuries and was placed in an induced coma. Albrecht, the fifth racer on the course, was traveling at 138 km/h (86 mph) when he lost control on the final jump (Zielsprung) and flew through the air for about 70 meters. He landed on his back, bounced forward onto his knees, then his face, and came to a stop near the finish line. Unconscious, Albrecht received medical attention for about 20 minutes before being airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in nearby St. Johann.

Two days later, it was announced that the risk on Albrecht's life was decreasing and that the pressure inside his head was lessening and that he could make a full recovery.

Albrecht was removed from the induced coma after three weeks, on February 12th. Doctors reported that he was breathing on his own. The 25-year-old is now in the process of recovering fully and hopes to be back on the snow as soon as possible.