Lalive suffers major knee injury, out for '07-'08

The comeback of three-time Olympian Caroline Lalive was cut short this week when she suffered a season-ending knee injury while training in Pitztal, Austria. Lalive, 28, had made dramatic progress in her comeback from a 2006 pre-Olympic injury and was ready to start the 2007-08 season in Lake Louise in late November.
    The training crash occurred Tuesday. Lalive was flown to the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail for evaluation. According to U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Richard Quincy, Lalive suffered an injury to her right knee and will have surgery Oct. 23. She is expected to miss the season.
THE COMEBACK OF three-time Olympian Caroline Lalive was cut short this week when she suffered a season-ending knee injury while training in Pitztal, Austria. Lalive, 28, had made dramatic progress in her comeback from a 2006 pre-Olympic injury and was ready to start the 2007-08 season in Lake Louise in late November.
   The training crash occurred Tuesday. Lalive was flown to the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail for evaluation. According to U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Richard Quincy, Lalive suffered an injury to her right knee and will have surgery Oct. 23. She is expected to miss the season.
    “We’re disappointed for Caroline because she had worked so hard and was really prepared for the season," said U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. “She’s a great ski racer and we’re hopeful she will be able to come back next year.”
    Lalive has been named to three Olympic and five World Championships teams in her 11-year career with the U.S. Ski Team. The former world junior champion has five World Cup podiums in three different events.
    Lalive missed the second half of the 2006 Olympic season and all of last winter while recovering from an injury to her left knee, suffered, coincidentally, on the day she was named to her third Olympic team in January 2006. She had skied solidly at preseason training camps in New Zealand and Chile.
    “Just to ski again was so fulfilling, better than I could have imagined,” Lalive said prior to her training accident. “Our team is such a fantastic group of people. The girls and coaches were so supportive and encouraging in Chile. I thank God and everyone who continued to believe in me through thick and thin.”
    Lalive, at 28 now the oldest member of the women’s team, was looking to add to a potent group that already features World Cup contenders Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Kildow.
    “Caroline’s such a good team member. She’s fun and she’s pushing it hard,” women's head coach Patrick Riml had said recently. “She’s excited to be back on snow and not have any medical issues. You can see her progress every day.”