Lake Louise: American Kirsten Clark on the mend{mosimage}LAKE LOUISE, ALBERTA - For someone who has been on the podium here at Lake Louise and in the top five on several occasions, it might be surprising that American Kirsten Clark could readily accept a 43rd placing in the first downhill at Lake Louise. That is until you consider she was on crutches less than two months ago.

Reflecting on her race-readiness, Clark said, 'I'm probably in late October right now, what with everything that happened this fall.'

Clark went into surgery in the early fall for a minor scope on the knee she injured two seasons ago, but that quickly escalated into a major medical nightmare when she developed a raging infection in her knee. A two-week recovery period turned into two months, as Clark was hospitalized for several days and incapacitated for weeks, just when she should have been putting the finishing touches on her preseason training activities.

In early October, Clark wasn't sure she'd be ready for Lake Louise and was hoping for Aspen, but there were times when even that seemed like a stretch.  In that light, a 43rd in Lake Louise looks a bit brighter. 'By January I'm planning on being 100 percent and charging for podiums' said Clark. But it's still tough to accept. 'I mean it's race day and you want to be up there and be the best and the fastest, but you also have to take into account that I was still on crutches mid-October. I'm just trying to get a lot of strength back right now and staying with it.'