Kjetil Jansrud injures knee in Beaver Creek crash

The Norwegian ski association confirmed what many in Beaver Creek suspected on Friday. Kjetil Jansrud, after crashing into the nets on the Birds of Prey super G, damaged ligaments in his left knee. The Norwegian veteran, who this summer said the 21-22 season would likely be his last, was certainly hoping for a better send-off in what may be his final Birds of Prey, an event that has meant so much to him and his team.

“We cross our fingers for Kjetil,” the Norwegian ski association said through translation in a social media post. “We have so far been diagnosed with damage to the cruciate ligament and internal side ligaments. Kjetil travels home with the team on Monday, and there he will receive a new assessment. It is too early to say anything about possible surgery and extent of injuries,” according the doctor for the alpine national team, Marc Strauss.”

Despite the injury, Jansrud, a five-time Olympic medalist was able to get up and ski the rest of the way down the hill. He even made it over to congratulate the day’s winner Aleksander Aamodt Kilde before limping away.

“Sitting in the leader chair doesn’t really mean anything when your buddy’s crashing into the net and you see him get injured,” said Kilde. “Hopefully, he’s doing OK, but we’ll see.”

While the exact diagnosis is currently unclear, reports are ruling out an injury to the collarbone, which was another concern at the time of the crash. Jansrud is traveling back to Norway for a full assessment.

Jansrud recently said this may be his final season on the ski racing circuit. He left the door open, though, in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

“I was very comfortable with the decision in the summer and in the fall, but I also gave myself kind of a way out – if I was fast and winning races,” said the charismatic Jansrud, whose last World Cup win was Jan. 24, 2020, during a super-G in Austria. “All in all, very comfortable with the decision. I’ve experienced a lot of good stuff on the tour. But the closer I get, the more scary it is. You’ve got to really make that decision.”

His ski racing resume includes 23 World Cup wins, a downhill title at the 2019 world champions and five Olympic medals, including gold in the super-G at the 2014 Sochi Games.

But the mark he hopes to leave behind is simple: Being a gracious competitor and good friend.

“A legacy where I can say that I won a lot but I still kept the friends in World Cup,” Jansrud said. “I will be able to knock on that door and hopefully be met with a warm cup of coffee and an exchange of good stories. So the friends would mean more to me than the victories.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.