Norwegian Skier Kilde Airlifted After Downhill Crash

Norwegian Skier Kilde Airlifted After Downhill Crash
Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is airlifted after crashing, during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill, in Wengen, Switzerland, on Jan. 13, 2024. Claudia Greco/Reuters
Reuters
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WENGEN, Switzerland—Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was airlifted to hospital on Saturday after crashing at full speed during a World Cup downhill race on the challenging Lauberhorn course in Wengen.

The 31-year-old speed specialist failed to control his sharp turns near the bottom of the course and was catapulted into the safety net running alongside the track.

After a few moments, Kilde managed to move and received medical treatment before being winched up into a helicopter and transported to a hospital in Bern.

It was the second such incident in as many days at the famous course in the Swiss Alps, with French skier Alexis Pinturault being similarly airlifted away after a crash in Friday’s super-G race.

Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt won Saturday’s race, finishing 0.59 seconds ahead of Cyprien Sarrazin of France. Dominik Paris from Italy came third, trailing Odermatt by 1.92 seconds.