Injuries unfortunately play a major role in the Ski World Cup. blue Sport provides an update on which skiers are out this season and which will be back (soon).
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- On Monday, eight-time overall World Cup winner Marcel Hirscher suffered a cruciate ligament rupture during training.
- Other skiers will also have to sit out the current season. Including Mikaela Shiffrin, who crashed and injured herself with her 100th World Cup victory in sight.
- But there is also good news. Various athletes are on the verge of a comeback - including three Swiss ski stars.
End of the season
Marcel Hirscher 🇳🇱
Eight-time overall World Cup winner Marcel Hirscher injured himself during training on the Reiteralm. The 35-year-old slipped during a right-hand turn, didn't fall, but immediately grabbed his left knee. "Cruciate ligament gone, project over," the ski star continued on Instagram.
Niels Hintermann 🇨🇭
The Swiss speed specialist was diagnosed with lymph node cancer at the beginning of October. Hintermann will therefore miss the World Cup winter and will have to undergo chemotherapy. Hintermann will have his last radiotherapy treatment on 24 December, he told Sportpanorama: "Then I can finish my treatment at Christmas. That's my Christmas present."
Alexander Kilde 🇳🇴
After his nasty crash in Wengen in January 2024, the Norwegian will need more patience on his way back. Even before the start of the season in Sölden, he announced that he would miss the entire 2024/25 season. The reason for this is an infection in his shoulder.
Tommaso Sala 🇮🇹
The slalom specialist tore a cruciate ligament in his left knee during training in Val Senales and will miss the entire season.
Return unknown
Mikaela Shiffrin 🇺🇸
With her 100th World Cup victory in sight, Mikaela Shiffrin crashed in the giant slalom in Killington. On the evening of the crash, the 29-year-old was able to give the all-clear from her hospital bed that there was no cause for great concern. The US American suffered a stab wound and severe muscle trauma to her entire right leg. According to her own statement, she will be "out for a few weeks" as a result.
Urs Kryenbühl 🇨🇭
Urs Kryenbühl injured his right knee on Tuesday during the first downhill training in Beaver Creek, USA. According to Swiss-Ski, he took a hit while skiing and had to stop skiing. Initial examinations on site have revealed a complex knee injury, which will be further examined in Switzerland in the coming days.
Manuel Feller 🇦🇹
Manuel Feller was ruled out of the first three races of the winter. He also injured his hip slightly in a crash in Gurgl. The Austrian will therefore miss the weekend in Beaver Creek. However, he wants to be back at the start in Val d'Isère in mid-December.
Andreas Sander 🇩🇪
In October, Sander made it public that he suffers from mitochondrial dysfunction, a serious cell disease. At the time, Sander announced that it was impossible to predict when and if he would be able to ski competitively again.
Returning from injury
Corinne Suter🇨🇭
In January, Corinne Suter tore her cruciate ligament during the downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Now the skier from Schwyz is back. Suter posted a photo of the race slope on Instagram yesterday with the comment: "Guess who's back... ❤️🔥"
Jasmine Flury 🇨🇭
The downhill world champion had to end last season due to cartilage damage. Flury is now back on her skis, but is not yet ready to return to racing. A week ago, she wrote on Instagram: "I'm happy with the progress I've made over the past few weeks. Skiing feels more natural - at least when the conditions are good and the slopes aren't too steep. I'll keep trying and I'm still patient."
Marco Kohler 🇨🇭
Kohler crashed heavily on the Lauberhorn in January, tearing cruciate ligaments and the meniscus in his right knee. But the Swiss is back in the Swiss-Ski team for the speed season opener in Beaver Creek.
Marco Schwarz 🇦🇹
Around a year ago, Marco Schwarz was still leading the overall World Cup ahead of Marco Odermatt. But instead of a fierce duel for the big globe, the Austrian suffered a serious injury. In Bormio, he suffered a torn cruciate ligament and meniscus as well as cartilage damage. In the summer, Schwarz was also plagued by a slipped disc.
However, Schwarz was able to make his first turns on the snow in October and most recently, ÖSV head of stadium Marko Pfeifer said that Schwarz is now pain-free. Schwarz is therefore scheduled to return to the World Cup this year, on December 22nd at the giant slalom in Alta Badia.
Petra Vlhova 🇸🇰
In January 2024, Petra Vlhova suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in her home race in Jasna. She has been fighting for her comeback ever since. The time should come at the end of the year. She wants to return to the World Cup on December 28/29 in Semmering (giant slalom and slalom)
Alexis Pinturault 🇫🇷
Alexis Pinturault suffered a serious knee injury in Wengen in January. Now the comeback weekend is finally on the cards. Pinturault will be competing in the super-G, downhill and giant slalom in Beaver Creek.
Nina Ortlieb 🇦🇹
Ortlieb broke her tibia and fibula in St. Moritz in December 2023. The Austrian is now back on her skis and wants to make her comeback in Beaver Creek.
Sofia Goggia 🇮🇹
The Italian has an on-off relationship with injuries. In February 2024, she crashed in training and suffered a serious fracture to her tibia and tibial malleolus. But the speed specialist will soon be back, on December 14 and 15 she plans to compete in the downhill and super-G in Beaver Creek.
Elena Curtoni 🇮🇹
In December 2023, Curtoni suffered a complicated fracture to her sacrum in St. Moritz and was out for the rest of the winter. The Italian will return for this season.
Other returnees
Lindsey Vonn 🇺🇸
Lindsey Vonn is not only returning from countless injuries, but also from retirement. The four-time overall World Cup winner actually wants to return to the World Cup in St. Moritz at the end of December. At the age of 40 and with an artificial knee joint. Many ski experts are critical of this.
Breezy Johnson 🇺🇸
Johnson missed around a year, but not because of an injury, but because of a doping ban. The American was banned because she did not update the US doping agency about her whereabouts. As a result, Johnson was banned for 14 months on October 10, 2023. She is now allowed to return just in time for the speed season opener in Beaver Creek.
