Season ends early for Rebensburg, Mowinckel

German skier Viktoria Rebensburg and Norwegian Ragnhild Mowinckel have had to call an early end to their seasons after suffering ligament tears in recent days.

According to the initial diagnosis, the 25-year-old silver medalist from the Vail/Beaver Creek World Championships suffered an internal ligament tear in her left knee. The injury will treated conservatively by immobilization and likely will not require surgery. With a favorable healing process, Rebenburg should be able to begin rehabilitation in 12 days.

“I fell in giant slalom training and slipped into the next gate. The ski was caught in the gate and it twisted my knee,” Rebenburg described. “This is, of course, very disappointing just before the home race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. On the other hand, it could have been worse. I’m going to take the forced pause and then focus on rehabilitation and preparation for the next season.”

Rebensburg is currently third in the downhill standings, 97 points behind leader Lindsey Vonn. She accumulated four World Cup podium finishes in the 2014-15 season between giant slalom and downhill.

Mowinckel was in the midst of her career-best season before hooking a gate in the slalom leg of the Bansko combined. What was originally believed to be a ligament strain in her ankle has, after further examination, been diagnosed as a torn ligament.

“I’m sorry to say that I’m done pushing out of the start gate this season,” Mowinckel posted on Facebook. “Not a major injury, but big enough to make the season end here for me. I’m lucky with this happening so close to the end of the season.”

Mowinckel finished a career-best fifth in the Kuehtai giant slalom race earlier this season and also scored her best ever World Cup discipline results in super G (seventh at St. Moritz) and downhill (14th in St. Moritz).