Unlucky athletes with pre-season injuries

In the past two months, FIS alpine teams have made their comeback on the snow and started their technical preparation for the winter. After building up muscles in the gym for months, they were eager to test and use them on the skis.

However, despite a strong body, injuries can happen. Some athletes were reminded of this before they even had a chance to start in the Olympic season.

Mi-August, the Austrian Overall Champion Marcel Hirscher suffered a fracture on the lateral malleolus of his left ankle during his first day of skiing on the Mölltaler Glacier. The date of his comeback on the World Cup circuit is still unknown, but it’s certain that he’s not slowing down the physical training.

He is the surprise winner of the Lauberhorn alpine combined and managed to integrate the Swiss national team for the upcoming Olympic season. Unfortunately, while training in Zermatt mid-August, the 22 years young Niels Hintermann dislocated his shoulders and contracted a nerve injury in his left arm. The doctors and him will determinate when he can train on skis again according to the evolution of the healing process.

Frenchman Blaise Giezendanner was training in La Parva (Chile) beginning of September, when he injured his right knee. The doctor diagnosed a lesion of the inner ligament and a partial rupture of the ACL. The French national champion in downhill had to fly back home to start a recovery period of approximately three month.

Also in La Prava, Switzerland’s speed skier Corinne Suter contracted a complex hand injury that required surgery. Her plan is to get back on skis at the end of September and try to participate in the speed races in Lake Louise, where she claimed her best career results (a 7th place in SG and a 4th place in DH.

On the same day in New Zealand, Julia Grünwald, the 25 years young A-team athlete from Austria, contracted cartilage fracture in her right patella. No surgery, but a six weeks break is required before she can go on with her slalom training.

Her teamamte Rosina Schneeberger was less lucky. Beginning of September in Ushuaia (ARG), the polyvalent athlete who skied her career-best result in the Val d’Isère alpine combined (9th) tore her right ACL and is sidelined for the full Olympic season.