Lauren Ross in recovery after ACL tear

Lauren Ross considered herself pretty lucky to have been a ski racer for so many years without ever experiencing a major injury. Then the 24-year-old Vermont native was training in New Zealand in August with the rest of the women’s alpine team and took what she thought was one of her best turns around a gate in giant slalom training and tore her ACL.

LAUREN ROSS considered herself pretty lucky to have been a ski racer for so many years without ever experiencing a major injury. Then the 24-year-old Vermont native was training in New Zealand in August with the rest of the women’s alpine team and took what she thought was one of her best turns around a gate in giant slalom training and tore her ACL.
    “I never felt like I was in a position to blow out my knee,” said Ross, who had surgery five weeks ago and will spend the early part of the winter recovering in Santa Monica, California. “I felt really strong. I don’t think it was a weakness thing. I wasn’t sitting back or anything. It was probably the best turn I’d made all day. I got in a loaded position and had to make a short arc. The snow was really grippy and my skis were really sharp.”
    Ross can’t estimate what her exact recovery time will be but said she is planning on getting back on the race course as soon as possible, which will likely be at least three months away.
    “I’d like to get back before the season ends,” she said.
    Ross, who attended Dartmouth for a while before deferring, is now focusing most of her non-training time on photography. She also is doing about three hours a day of physical therapy and is trying to make the best of her situation.
    “I was super bummed when it happened,” she said. “I had just switched to Völkl and the skis were working really well. I was skiing fast. I’m just looking forward to getting back into it. I’m working with therapists and trainers out here, doing a lot with photography and getting my mind off skiing for a little bit. It will be fine. It will put more fire in my step once I’m back.”
    Ross gathered some World Cup points last season with top-30 finishes in GS and slalom races, then took sixth in GS at nationals.