Canadian skier hospitalized after fall
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 | 3:08 PM ET
CBC Sports
Stefan Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., fell during a World Cup downhill training session Wednesday in Val Gardena, Italy and was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital.
Guay, 20, tumbled while racing over a bumpy section of the course, suffering an apparent knee injury. The skier, who is the younger brother of national team veteran Erik Guay, was competing in his first World Cup downhill race in Europe.
Stefan Guay, shown in 2004, is the younger brother of national team veteran Erik Guay.
(Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)
"We don't know the extent of his injury yet but we suspect he might have pulled ligaments in his knee," Canadian coach Lionel Finance said.
Swiss skier Didier Cuche posted the fastest time in Wednesday's training session, completing his run down the 3.446-kilometre Saslong course in one minute 59.10 seconds. Patrik Jaerbyn of Sweden was second, 0.28 seconds behind Cuche's pace.
Hans Grugger of Austria was third, trailing Cuche by 0.37 seconds.
Francois Bourque of New Richmond, B.C., was the top Canadian, finishing 16th in 2:00.19.
Other Canadian results: Erik Guay was 36th in 2:00.93; John Kucera of Calgary was 52nd in 2:01.79; Manuel Osborne-Paradis of Vancouver was 57th in 2:02.14; Jan Hudec of Calgary was 61st in 2:02.88; Jeffrey Frisch of Montreal was 67th in 2:03.39; and Robbie Dixon of Vancouver was 73rd.
Another training session is scheduled Thursday ahead of Friday's super-G race and the downhill on Saturday.
