Heli use in Super-G
Heavy falls once again overshadow alpine skiing
December 29, 2023, 1:37 p.m
One day after the Austrian Marco Schwarz, two ski racers fell again at the Super-G in Bormio. The South Tyrolean Christof Innerhofer is seriously injured and the rescue helicopter arrives. The brilliant victory of the Swiss Mario Odermatt is overshadowed, while Schwarz is undergoing surgery.
With a ride like from another planet, the Swiss Mario Odermatt won the Super-G at the World Cup in Bormio, Italy. On the icy and rough Stelvio, the double world champion raced safely to his fourth victory this winter and his 27th overall. However, the race was overshadowed by two serious crashes after the Austrian Marco Schwarz had to be transported away by helicopter and operated on the day before.
Odermatt had a huge lead of 0.98 seconds over the second-placed Austrian Raphael Haaser, and even 1.31 seconds ahead of Aleksander Aamodt Kilde from Norway in third place.
“He makes it look so easy, and you can still see that he is at the limit. You can only take your hat off,” said Andreas Sander, who for his part had a terrible day: he didn’t make it, 3.68 seconds behind Odermatt in the top 20. “I didn’t feel comfortable from top to bottom. It just doesn’t fit together,” said the World Cup runner-up in the 2021 downhill on ARD. Romed Baumann (+4.23 seconds), second in the 2021 World Cup in Super-G, was even slower.
Serious falls, Black operated on
The race started straight away with a first crash. The South Tyrolean Dominik Paris slipped on the icy slope and was only able to prevent something worse and avoid a goal. A little later the next accident occurred, which was much more serious. Christof Innerhofer was lifted into the ground by a wave and flew at full speed into the safety net. The Austrian veteran knocked down another goal.
At first Innerhofer was able to stand up again, then his body failed again and he had to sit down. A knee injury is suspected. As with Schwarz the day before, the rescue helicopter had to arrive and transport the 39-year-old away. The race was briefly interrupted and then continued.
As the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) announced this morning, Schwarz had, among other things, torn his anterior cruciate ligament when he fell. He was operated on and the operation went without any problems. The first rehabilitation measures are scheduled to begin in the evening.