Alpine Skiing

Reigning downhill World Champion John Kucera crashed during the super-G World Cup in Lake Louise, Alta., breaking his leg.

Kucera started 16th today and fell during the gun barrel section of the course, out of view of television cameras.

Alpine Canada has announced that Kucera has broken his left leg and will require surgery. Team officials announced that Kucera will not compete for Canada at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Once surgery is complete, Kucera will undergo rehab, making it impossible to be prepared for the Olympics, now just 75 days away. 

Race organizers responded to the crash with medical crews, requesting a helicopter to transport Kucera, standard procedure whenever an injury is sustained. The airlift brought Kucera to the base of the mountain, where he was transported by ground to a hospital in Banff. The race was delayed for approximately 30 minutes. 

Yesterday, Kucera was the top ranked Canadian, finishing sixth in the World Cup downhill race. 

"Johnny is a tough cookie," said Alpine Canada chief athletics officer Max Gartner in a CBC television interview. "We'll take him to the hospital and go from there."

Alpine Canada team mate, Manuel Osborne-Paradis won the race, while Erik Guay finished fourth, and Robbie Dixon finished fifth. 

"It's mixed feelings for sure," said Guay. "(Kucera's) a strong young kid and . . . I have no question that he'll bounce back quickly."  

Osborne-Paradis echoed Guay's feelings. 

"That was the toughest part, I think. You're in the lead, but then you're obviously looking at your buddy who you train with all the time,'' he said.  

During yesterday's downhill race, American skier TJ Lanning crashed, breaking a vertebrae in his neck, and dislocating his left knee. Lanning was airlifted from the course, and is recovering in a Canadian hospital. Lanning will be transferred to a hospital in Vail, Colo., to continue his recovery. 

"These are serious injuries but the vertebrae fracture is not displaced and does not appear to require surgery at this time," said US Ski Team doctor Richard Quincy.
 

- With files from AFP