Scotty Mac to miss Kitzbuehel

Despite a year of intense focus and hard work, the U.S. Ski Team’s Scott Macartney (Crystal Mountain, WA) will miss the 69th Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuehel, site of a 2008 crash that ended his season.

While competing Saturday in the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, Macartney landed on the back of his skis off the Russisprung injuring his left knee.Despite a year of intense focus and hard work, the U.S. Ski Team’s Scott Macartney (Crystal Mountain, WA) will miss the 69th Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuehel, site of a 2008 crash that ended his season.

While competing Saturday in the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, Macartney landed on the back of his skis off the Russisprung injuring his left knee.

“Scott suffered an injury to his left knee during the downhill in Wengen. He was examined by our U.S. Ski Team physician Dr. Jimmy Johnson on-site and is now coming back to the USA for further evaluation,” said U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Richard Quincy. “He will not be able to compete this weekend in Kitzbuehel.”

“This is a tough one because everything was clicking with my skiing,” said Macartney, who turns 31 today. “My equipment was exactly where I wanted it and I was attacking the hill, especially in the last two races in Val Gardena and Bormio.”

One year ago, Macartney, who has two World Cup podiums, was rocketing towards a top 10 finish in the Hahnenkamm when he suffered a season ending crash off the finish jump.

Due to the excellent medical response in Kitzbuehel and the treatment he received following, Macartney was back on skis in late February and completely committed to a return to the World Cup.

“Mac did a tremendous job through the whole prep period to prepare himself physically and mentally for this season,” said U.S. Ski Team Speed Head Coach Chris Brigham. “Bormio was a big one for him. It’s one of the toughest downhills on the World Cup and he scored points there in December. He was on track and I had really high expectations for him in Wengen and Kitzbuehel. He had high expectations for himself.”

Macartney has scored World Cup points in four races this season including a 15th in Val Gardena, Italy as American skiers placed all seven starters in the top 30, including five in the top 10.

“If you’re going to come back, you’ve got to put everything in and that’s what I did,” Macartney said. “I had to have to have a lot of faith and a lot of trust to get back to where I was last season, but I also had to put in the hard work, both physically and mentally to get back into race mode. I was there.”

Macartney will now undergo evaluation in the United States to determine the extent of the injury. A timetable has not been set for his return to racing. – US Ski Team relase