Rash of World Cup injuries causing concern

The FIS is looking for solutions and the French are distraught after Pierre-Emmanuel became another victim of the World Cup season in a special downhill training run at Beaver Creek Friday. Dalcin tore ligaments in both knees, broke his arm and sustained numerous facial lacerations in the run, held preceding Friday’s World Cup super combined.

It was the first time a separate downhill training run had been held, the normal procedure being to have all the down hillers run the first half of combined and then pull out of the race before the slalom.

French downhill coach Patrice Morisod said in an emotional plea at the evening’s meeting of race organizers, coaches and race jury that the format, with the training run being held in front of the downhill leg of the combined, should be abandoned as the early day light was insufficient for racers approaching 100kph on course.

Austria’s men’s chief agreed and told those gathered at the Captain’s Meeting that course alterations, a shaving of the Harrier Jump, on the lower reaches of the course, may have been all that prevented more injuries in the combined downhill.

FIS men’s tour director Guenther Hujara said “We are having one or two injuries every weekend,” and asked any of the coaches or officials with ideas on procedures that might cut into the injury rate would be appreciated. “Perhaps we can accelerate the process.”

Dalcin, 32, could well be looking at the end of his career, and U.S. skier TJ Lanning and Canadian John Kucera both sustained season ending injuries last weekend at Lake Louise.

Hujara photo by GEPA