Hans Olsson breaks leg in Europa Cup finale

By Published On: March 15th, 2012Comments Off on Hans Olsson breaks leg in Europa Cup finale

Hans Olsson broke his leg in the European Cup Finals downhill competition in La Thuile (ITA) today (March 15).

Olsson crashed heavily half way down the track after hitting a bump in the snow and falling backwards. Preliminary examinations indicated a broken shin bone and fibula of his right leg. He was transported to Hospital in Aosta for further examination.

“It was simply bad luck. Hans was skiing well when he hit a snow bump and the inner ski cut in. He fell backwards and got bounced around,” said the speed coach Helmuth Krug.

Krug said the athlete was in great pain, but said, “Despite the situation, he was in relatively good mood.”

Olsson plans to travel to Innsbruck as soon as possible for an operation.

Mattia Casse of Italy won the race over Christian Spescha of Switzerland. Austrian Johannes Kroell claimed the Europa Cup DH title.

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About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”