Mowinckel Retears ACL
After a heartbreaking injury ended Ragnhild Mowinckel’s season last year prior to World Finals in Soldeu Andorra, Mowinckel once again retore her ACL during preseason training as she looked to make a comeback at the Killington World Cup. In 2018, Mowinckel finished second in the Killington giant slalom behind Italy’s Federica Brignone.
She continued strong performances throughout the season, earning multiple top 10 finishes in the super-G and giant slalom, and couple more podiums in Lake Louise and Maribor. At World Championships in Are, she snagged a bronze medal in the alpine combined. Things were looking good for the 27-year-old Norwegian headed into World Finals, before a crash in training led to an ACL and meniscus repair procedure. Despite not having competed in finals, Mowinckel ended the season ranked 7th overall, 5th in the super-g, and 6th in the giant slalom.
After her first injury, Mowinckel took to Instagram to say, “…the hard reality is that it turns out I’m not unbreakable. It’s never a good time for an injury, but at the same time I’ve been lucky for so long in my career – I guess it was bound to happen sometime.”
Having been through the rehab process so recently, Mowinckel said in her latest Instagram statement that while she’s devastated, she’s ready to do it again. Having no direct reason as to why her ACL retore, she just has to keep plugging along until her body feels strong enough to make a return.
“This was a heavy and unreal message to get as I was getting ready to be competitive after all these months of training,” Mowinckel told the Norwegian National Team. “Unfortunately, that means I’m losing this season, and again I have to go through another round of patience, sweat, and tears. I am determined to go back where I left off and continue working from there.”
She will undergo operation at the beginning of December.
About the Author: Mackenzie Moran
