Bad Week For Injuries In Alpine World Cup

Austrian skier Stephanie Brunner, who returned this October from the first serious injury of her career to have her best-ever results, re-injured her left knee during giant slalom training in Pozza di Fassa on Friday ahead of the Kronplatz (ITA) World Cup. An MRI in Innsbruck revealed a torn ACL and meniscus damage, the same injury she sustained during the Austrian national championships in March of 2018.

Brunner skied to her first World Cup podium in third place at the Killington giant slalom this November and had three other top-six GS finishes this winter. Her parallel form was also coming on strong as she finished sixth in the St. Moritz parallel slalom after being the third-fastest qualifier earlier in the day. She is currently ranked sixth in the giant slalom standings and 23rd in the slalom standings for the season.

The 24-year-old will undergo surgery at the Privatklinik Hochrum on Saturday performed by team surgeon Dr. Christian Fink. 

"For sure it's bitter, but it is what it is and I'm looking forward positively. I've been able to come back strong before and will do it a second time," Brunner remarked. 

One day after teammate Stephanie Brunner sustained a season-ending injury in training at Pozza di Fassa (ITA) ahead of the Kronplatz World Cup, Austrian Anna Veith suffered a similar fate on Saturday. Although the past Olympic, World Championship, and World Cup Overall champion did not crash, she experienced right knee pain during the giant slalom training session and had to stop skiing. 

At an examination in Privatklinik Hochrum, Dr. Christian Hoser diagnosed a torn ACL in her right knee, the same knee she injured while training for the Sölden season opener in October of 2015. However, the latest injury that stalled her eventual comeback was left knee patella pain that required surgery in 2017. 

Since her return from those two nearly back-to-back injuries, Veith won super-G silver at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, won one World Cup super-G and podiumed in another, and has had four top-10 World Cup finishes so far this season. She is currently ranked ninth in the giant slalom season standings and 15th in the super-G season standings. 

The 29-year-old is scheduled to undergo surgery today performed by Dr. Christian Hoser.