USA’s Laurenne Ross Opts to Forgo the 2019/20 Season
Laurenne Ross took to Instagram on Wednesday, September 25th, to announce that she would not be participating in the 2019/20 ski season. Her decision comes after a long period of mulling over whether or not she should completely end her career, or continue to pursue the sport she loves.
Back in February of 2019, just before World Championships in Are, Sweden were set to kick off, Ross found herself once again sidetracked by an injury incurred during training warm-ups. The 31-year-old athlete had originally thought she could return to the circuit prior to the end of the season before further examination showed she had in fact torn her LCL and meniscus and would have to undergo surgery. She also need tibia-fibula reconstruction.
Given her past injury record, Ross is no stranger to the extensive process athletes must go through mentally and physically in order to fully recover. Her last major injury she sustained prior to PyeongChang in 2017. It was an emotional one, one that pushed her to recover as quickly as possible in order to return for the Olympics. This time around, the U.S. Ski Team veteran is in no rush. She knows she must honor her body and her health first if she wants competitive ski racing to remain an option for her in the future.
“I want to do it right: make sure I’m 100% ready when I get back on snow. 100% strong, 100% healthy — in body and in mind. I’m hoping to get back on snow sometime in the next few months, but that won’t give me enough time to properly prepare for this upcoming winter racing season,” Ross wrote in her Instagram post.
Of course she will miss the World Cup, her teammates, and skiing with other friends on the tour, but Ross is looking forward to making a strong comebck in the 2020/21 season.
About the Author: Mackenzie Moran
