Aleksander Aamodt Kilde suffers heavy Wengen downhill crash, airlifted to hospital
Norwegian speed star fell right at the end of his run on the Lauberhorn but retained consciousness after careering into the safety netting.
Alpine Skiing
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines after crashing heavily in the Wengen downhill on Saturday (13 January).
The Norwegian speed specialist was struggling on the bottom half of the full iconic 4.2km Lauberhorn test, the longest race on the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup calendar.
After getting out of shape on a couple of bends, Kilde - who had two third-place finishes in previous days despite feeling slightly unwell - fell on the final turn into the finish straight and was flung airborne into the safety netting next to the line.
Last year's downhill World Cup series winner was able to make small movements and tried to sit up before medical staff swiftly came to his aid.
His great rival, eventual race winner Marco Odermatt, was among those visibly shaken by the incident. Some skiers, including runner-up Cyprien Sarrazin, were reportedly dismayed at having three speed races on successive days on such a demanding hill culminating in the downhill classic.
After receiving treatment on his right leg, Kilde was winched up into a helicopter and taken to Interlaken hospital.
On Friday, French skier Alexis Pinturault was airlifted to hospital after crashing in the Super G. He was later diagnosed with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) which rules him out of the rest of the season.
Kilde's partner Mikaela Shiffrin sat out this weekend's speed action in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee as she recovers from a cold.