American Skier Kildow Suffers (gruesome) Crash in Training (NYT)

[Up2Late]

(Can anyone translate what a "...pelvic contusion..." is? Is that just bruises?)

American Skier Kildow Suffers Crash in Training

By BILL PENNINGTON
Published: February 13, 2006

SAN SICARIO, Feb. 13 -- American skier Lindsey Kildow, a medal contender in three Olympic events, suffered a severe hip injury in a gruesome crash during Monday's downhill training run, but has not ruled out competing in the actual event on Wednesday. She was transported by helicopter to a hospital trauma center in Turin, where Bill Sterett, the U.S. alpine medical director, said Kildow would remain overnight.

"Lindsey Kildow sustained a severe hip injury, a pelvic contusion, on the ski hill going about 50 mph," Sterett said. "She is being admitted tonight for observation as a precautionary measure. Her CAT scans, her X-rays were all normal."

"Right now, she hasn't ruled out the possibility of racing as early as Wednesday. She hasn't given up her spot at this point. We'll see how she does tomorrow."

Four other skiers crashed during Mondays training at the San Sicario downhill, including the defending Olympic champion Carole Montillet-Carles.

(more at link below)

<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/13/sports/olympics/13cnd-kildow.html>

[nickinSTL]

1. yes, a contusion is a bruise

n/t

[Geoff R. Casavant]

28. My guess is a deep mega-bruise

Probably something that bruises muscle clear down to the bone, rather than just on the surface. My good friend got a deep bruise on his thigh several weeks ago and still has some pain while walking. If she has something like that and still competes, she's made of much hardier stuff than an ordinary human.

[knitter4democracy]

35. It sounds like a bone bruise.

Those really hurt. I got one a couple of weeks ago when my three year old slammed his skull into my cheekbone. It's still sore but never colored up much at the time. I can't imagine skiing in that kind of pain.

[CottonBear]

2. She went airborne and slammed onto the frozen ground on her butt.

She's lucky to be alive and not paralyzed or dead. She was going very fast. :(

[Up2Late]

15. Where did you see it?

All I've seen so far today are some lame Hockey games.

[northzax]

21. NBC has a slideshow

here: http://www.nbcolympics.com/alpine/5103479/detail.html

warning, wandering around the site will provide spoilers.

[CottonBear]

24. MSNBC TV still shots this morning. n/t

[DS1]

3. It'll make movement very painful, especially over bumps and the like

but with enough painkillers that the IOC won't deem bannable, she might be able to grin and bear it.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

4. Some People Never Admit Defeat....

Does anybody really expect that she'll compete? Well, for now they can portray the courage she has, and how she wants to fight on.

Reality is that she ain't competing on Wednesday. But don't let that get in the way of the Rah Rah Rah cheering for her and the USA. She Will Overcome! Well, perhaps not, but she'll make us think that for a couple more days until reality sets in.

Am I the only one here who won't be that disappointed if the U.S. does poorly in the Olympics this year?

[brentspeak]

8. I would be disappointed.

Why wouldn't I be?

[NYC Liberal]

42. I would be, too. I haven't followed the coverage too much so far,

but I am certainly rooting for the US!

[cali]

9. I wouldn't be surprised if she competes. (spoiler post)

It was a hell of a spill- I watched it on CBC - but skiers often compete banged up. I don't care that much whether Americans win or not, with one large exception: I root like crazy for fellow Vermonters, and there are quite a few competing. Hannah Teter of Belmont won women's half pipe today, and Kelly Clark, who won in 2002, came in 4th. She might have taken it but for a fall at the very end of her run.

[CTyankee]

23. Naw, let's not take it out on the kids

who are working their hearts out to compete. Yes, I know * will make a big deal out of any wins we have, but I don't have the heart not to root for those athletes.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

30. Other Nations' Kids Are Also Working Their Hearts Out...

All I'm saying, is that if another country gets more medals than us, which is likely since the U.S. excels in the Summer games, but not so much the Winter games.

Let's face it though, all the "nationalism" our country has gets portrayed as cockiness and arrogance by the rest of the world. Sometimes I think back to Germany in the 30's, when they had their propaganda campaign to show their supposed superiority to the rest of the world.

And you are correct, King Shrub would not let a chance to wear the american flag go by without mentioning how heroic and courageous our athletes are. But aren't the athletes from other nations just as courageous, and didn't they work just as hard to get to the games?

I guess it's just root root root for the home team! Although I guess I won't be too dismayed if the home team gets a little reality check, that there are other nations in this world besides the US of A.

[CTyankee]

32. I don't mean to be chauvinistic

I really don't think of it that way. I guess I just think of the individual, you know, the kid from New Jersey getting her chance to skate now that Kwan is out. I like the other kids from other countries, too, it's just that I relate to many of the Americans, especially the ones who don't have a 'tude about being from the USA.

When I was in Sicily last December, I really wanted to make a good impression on the Sicilians I met so they wouldn't think that all Americans were rude and boorish. I hate to say this, but some of the Americans on my tour were pretty awful. I don't think they knew any better.

[SaveElmer]

50. In general I completely disagree with you...

But there is the occasional A**Hole US athlete (e.g. Bode Miller), that I could care less about.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. "Just bruises?"

Bone bruises can be BRUTAL.

I had a really bad one on my shin (nasty accident during a play rehearsal) and that thing took years to fully heal.

I can't believe she is thinking about racing...OUCH.

[Up2Late]

12. Ouch is right, I fell on Ice when I was a kid, landed on the point of...

...my hip/pelvic bone, that fall hurt me for 5 or more years!

I didn't mean to imply she was being wimpy, I just don't speak Medical jargon.

[alcibiades_mystery]

6. I saw the Men's Downhill last night

Jesus, that course looks fucking nuts.

Bravo to the Frenchman, by the way.

[cali]

11. It is nuts,

isn't it? The frenchman had a thrilling run. Gotta admit I was rooting for bode and daron., though.

[da_chimperor]

26. I watched both runs live, and it was disappointing they didn't win.

They gave it a shot though, but I feel worst for Daron. Downhill was his big chance. Bode still has 4 other events he could win.

I was dumbstruck by Deneriaz's run. It was fantastic. :wow:

[cali]

29. Watching live is great, isn't it?

You must get CBC too. I also really wanted to see Rahlves take it. I heard something about his skiing on skis he'd never used before. I wonder if that can be true. It seems like a weird thing to do.

[Up2Late]

36. Bode Skied on "only 2 or 3 pair of this type in the world" new skis...

...that he had only made 1 previous run on. Some sort of new technology they said, fresh from the factory.

The other American, that skied after him, was going to use a pair of these new skis, but the equipment guy changed him back to the old skis at the last minute, after they saw Bode's time.

I'm wondering if the pair they switched back to had been properly cooled, because he got slower and slower as he went down the course, even though he thought he was skiing well.

[Up2Late]

45. DO you live close enough to Canada to get the CBC via an Antenna?

...or do you have it via Cable? It's not on Comcast Cable.

[alcibiades_mystery]

33. I never root for Americans during the Olympics

(World Cup, either). They have enough support obnoxiously spilling out of my television.

[brentspeak]

7. An American in the women's luge event also crashed

It was scary-looking. Got knocked unconscious, and was sprawled on the ice with her luge on top of her.

[Up2Late]

10. Yow, I didn't hear about the Luge accident

Any word if she's O.K.?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

13. I think that was "Grandma Luge"...

from the Vigin Isles (I think) - she's 52 and broke her wrist in the accident.

Man, I wanna grow up to be someone like that!

[brentspeak]

17. This was someone different

The luger who was unconscious was one of ours, and was about 20 years old.

[Up2Late]

18. FYI: NBC's coverage of the Luge just started 4:00pm

They'll probably show it.

[LostinVA]

38. No, it's someone different -- Grandma Luge broke her wrist

[brentspeak]

16. They said she suffered some short-term memory loss

but is otherwise OK.

[leftchick]

22. Story and photos here... It was awful...

http://www.nbcolympics.com/luge/5104225/detail.html

TORINO -- American luger Samantha Retrosi was injured in a crash in the second run of women's competition Monday evening in Cesana.

Retrosi bumped into the wall on a straightaway roughly two-thirds of the way through her race and lost control, smashing into the barrier on the high side of the track and appearing to lose consciousness. Her limp body skidded to a stop on the course.

The track was temporarily shut down as medical and track staff attended to the racer, who was carted off in an ambulance.

As fans looked on in horror, the 20-year-old's condition remained unknown for several minutes. U.S. team officials later confirmed that Retrosi was receiving treatment for lacerations and a concussion.

[Up2Late]

37. They just showed it on NBC during the 4:00pm-5:00pm ET coverage

It did look bad, but the coach said she's going to be O.K. That is a very scary photo.

She has a bad cut across he chin too, they said.




------Luge spoiler below-------------------








One of the Italian women crashed and DNFed, so is out, and a Ukrainian woman crashed, but somehow was able to get back on her sled, so she did finish and can continue if she feels O.K.

[LostinVA]

39. This is a brutal course -- lots of crashes on the luge today

They suspended test runs this past year because so many top lugers were getting injured. It's been supposedly tamed down... ha!

[DRoseDARs]

14. And people are always asking me why I don't ski/snowboard...

Thanks, but I'll take sleding over that any day of the week. Closer to the ground, quicker to stop, less likely to bash your skull in and make red snow.

[northzax]

20. that's what helmets are for

Personally, I've been skiing for 30 years (and I'm 31) and snowboarding for 15. I wear a helmet snowboarding and much of the time whem I'm skiing, too many concussions in my life already.

[brentspeak]

25. Are you able to ski the kinds of downhill

that the Olympians do? How does one get up the nerve to take on speeds and distance like that?

[northzax]

27. I used to race in high school and college

super G primarily, although I have done some straight downhill at the Jr. level. it's the most amazing rush ever. In all honesty, I never really had the stones for it, not enough of a pain tolerance.

[soleft]

19. sounds like the Anti-Kwan

I don't understand how it could be gruesome tho - unless she twisted in some way.

Joe Theisman's broken leg was gruesome.

If it wasn't serious enough that she thinks she could complete, I dont' get it.

[LostinVA]

40. The Anti-Kwan in what way?

It's basically impossible for skaters to do jumps with groin and abductor injuries. They skate hurt constantly, but that kind of injury is equivalent to a skier having a broken leg -- your body literally can't do it.

And, Kwan did the right thing stepping aside. It's damned if she does or damned if she doesn't on this board.

[Up2Late]

46. I think she made the right choice too, better to be remembered...

...as a Silver and Bronze Olympic Medalist, that a "...did not make the finals in her final Olympics...," due to trying to skate with an injury.

[soleft]

51. Anti-Kwan

In that the skier is probably not making a wise decision and needs to put her future health ahead of her disappointment.

[LisaL]

53. Kwan only wanted the gold.

She has silver and a bronze already. I doubt she was going to get any medals in these Olympics at all, even without injuries. What would be the purpose of her staying and competing, considering she couldn't have won?

[htuttle]

31. I didn't see it, but did it measure up to Vinko Bogataj's crash in 1970?

...the one that was associated for years with "...the Agony of Defeat"?

[Up2Late]

47. I wasn't quite as dramatic, it happened so fast...

...I bet the entire wipe-out took less that 2 seconds.

Good to know she's going to be O.K.

[knitter4democracy]

34. It's a bone bruise.

You can bruise the skin, but you can also bruise the top layer of the bone. That freakin' hurts. It sounds like she bruised more than one area on her bones (which is why the orthopod was brought in), which means she's in a lot of pain.

That run looked like a killer. It was icy, fast, and had nasty turns. I wouldn't have skied it even when I was better than I am now.

[zanne]

41. I caught my finger in a car door...

Suddenly, it doesn't hurt so much.

[aaronbees]

43. I'll be rooting for her...

if she goes on Wednesday. Downhill skiiers have always impressed me with their daredevilry and guts -- it's managing chaos at high speeds as you barrel down a mountain. If she even makes it to the slopes again this week that shows some real bravery. Glad her injuries were not as horrendous as feared.

[Up2Late]

44. NBC just showed her fall and said she plans on sking on Wednesday

The 2002 Gold Medalist from France, who also fell today, was not so lucky, and will not.

And here's a report on the American Luge racer:

<http://www.nbcolympics.com/luge/5104225/detail.html>

"...Sam's going to be okay, that's the bottom line," U.S. luge team leader Fred Zimny told NBC. "She wacked her head pretty good. She has a laceration under her chin. She doesn't remember what happened."

"It was a very hard crash but Sam's tough," Zimny said.

Zimny said Retrosi had been taken to a medical clinic at the bottom of the track for treatment, but that she would return to racing.

"It's a difficult track, it's challenging and Sam can handle it," Zimny said. "She's a good athlete and she's going to come back...."

[HuffleClaw]

48. it was pretty ugly to watch

she bounced off the snow and was in obvious pain when the med staff got to her. but the scarier crash of the day had to the american luger, samantha retrosi, who looked to be in real serious shape after her crash. the replay showed that she whacked her head real bad and then slid down the track unconscious. it really was scary to watch.

[Up2Late]

49. Here's an update on the American Luger

Injured luger expected to be released Tuesday

Posted: Feb.13, 2006, 5:32 pm CST

TORINO -- Doctors announced Monday evening that U.S. luger Samantha Retrosi , who was injured in the second run of women's luge competition Monday (story), is likely to be released from the hospital Tuesday.

The 20-year-old lost control of her sled, smacked into the track wall and lost consciousness before being evacuated via helicopter to CTO Hospital in Torino.

"Everything is looking good," said Ed Ryan, Director of Sports Medicine for the USOC. "All of her scans have come back normal. She will spend the night at the hospital because she has a slight concussion."

In addition to a concussion, Retrosi suffered lacerations on her knee and chin. "She'll be re-evaluated in the morning and we expect her to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow," Ryan said.

(more and pictures at link below)

<http://www.nbcolympics.com/luge/5105120/detail.html>

[Up2Late]

52. She DID ski the downhill today! She finished 8th!

Way to go Lindsey!!!:toast:

And the French woman, defending Olympic champion Carole Montillet-Carles, who had an even worst crash before her, skied today too! She finished 27th!

Way to go Carole Montillet-Carles!

:toast: