Nik Zoricic killed in World Cup crash

A crash off the final jump in a World Cup Ski Cross event at Grindelwald, Switzerland Saturday (March 10) has claimed the life of Canadian racer Nik Zoricic.

The 29 year old Zoricic was pronounced dead at 12:25pm central European Time of “severe neurotrauma.”

Zoricic was participating in the fourth heat of the event, sustaining head injuries. He was airlifted to hospital in Interlaken where he was pronounced dead.

“Ski cross national team member Nik Zoricic passed away this morning after he was involved in a crash at a ski cross World Cup race in Grindelwald, Switzerland,” said Alpine Canada president Max Gartner. “Our thoughts are first and foremost with Nik’s parents and his family.”

Gartner said “Nik was a very talented young skier and a great athlete who was much loved by his fellow teammates and fellow competitors. He will be greatly missed by all of us and the ski community as a whole.”

The remainder of the World Cup event as well as Sunday’s race were cancelled.

FIS secretary general Sarah Lewis told CBC News the conditions at Grindelwald were very good, adding, “but there is risk. As soon as you put on a helmet you know there is going to be risk and when you try to get the ones in front of you, you take chances.”

He is the second Canadian freestyle athlete to perish this season. Sarah Burke died in January after a crash while training for super pipe at Park City, Utah.

Zoricic had placed third in a World Cup ski cross event at Les Contamines in January and was ranked 16th on the tour at the time of his death.