One of our US women downhill skiers just crashed & was taken to hospital.

[CottonBear]

Lindsey Kildow (sp?) It was a really bad crash. I hope she'll be OK. She may be out of the Olympics. :(

Downhill skiing is so dangerous. It makes luge and sleleton look safe. :(

[AirmensMom]

1. Oh, that's too bad.

:cry: I hope she'll be OK. :(

[LynneSin]

2. Did you see that story they did on Bill Johnson?

He won the downhill I think back in 1984. The guy kept competing and about 10-12 years later had a crash so serious that he's on disability the rest of his life. He actually has like a black of 10 years that he can't remember because of the brain damage.

:scared:

[bleedingheart]

3. holy poo....

that is awful...

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. didn't he have a twin brother Steven who did slalom?

I remember that crash, if it's the one I am thinking of and it was horrific.

[LynneSin]

7. I think that was the Mahre twins

:D

[CottonBear]

9. I did not see that story. How awful.

Some down hill guy almost severed his leg in a motorcycle accident and came back to compete in this Olympics!

These skiers must be insane. They are reaching speeds over 80 MPH. :scared:

I hope our girl will be OK.

Yesterday, I saw a US guy snowboarder go way up in the air and come down like a rock right on his hip and back. OUCH! He missedgoing back down the edge of the snow board half pipe. He came down like a rock on the top edge. He's lucky he didn't break his hip or back.

edit: sp. Grandma Luge (52 year US woman and 6 time Olympian) is out with a broken wrist. :grr:

[LynneSin]

11. Grandma Luge is actually with the British Virgin Islands

Major power in luging!

:D

[LostinVA]

13. US Virgin Islands

[LynneSin]

17. That's right - US Virgin Islands allowed their own team but...

Washington DC is just Shit out of luck

[LostinVA]

20. I think you're giving yourself stars, btw

[LynneSin]

24. Stars or Hearts?

I think I got the damn hearts just from people reading my post and wanting to tick me off!

[LostinVA]

25. giggle... I almost did that, but controlled myself

Did you see the thing about the ice dancing judge?

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. I hope she is okay.

:(

[LostinVA]

6. And so's Grandma Luge -- a broken wrist

52 years old!

[CottonBear]

10. Grandma Luge is a 52 years old & a 6 time Winter Olympian! Amazing! n/t

[LostinVA]

12. She's so cool! And she lives in the US Virgin Islands

Which, for some reason, makes it even cooler.

on edit: and she's a cancer survivor, and survived and came back from a horrible closed-head injury.

[Strong Atheist]

8. Tht's terrible! Hope things turn out well ... nt.

[ET Awful]

14. Ever heard of Jill Kinmont?

Who ended up a quadriplegic as a result of an accident during the Olympic trials in 1955.

"The Other Side of the Mountain" is about her.

After that, if I remember correctly, she finished school at UCLA and became a teacher.

[Midlodemocrat]

15. That's a great movie.

But didn't she get injured before the trials? I thought that's what I remembered.

[ET Awful]

16. It was during tryouts for the Olympic team to my knowledge.

http://www.jkbs.org/aboutjill.htm

Jill Kinmont Boothe was born in Los Angeles, California. She and her family moved to Bishop in 1948 when she was 12 and lived there until after she graduated from Bishop High School in 1953. Jill was an avid skier, competing and winning numerous titles in Junior and Senior national ski events.However, while trying outfor the U.S. Olympic Ski Team in 1955, she was injured in an accident which left her a quadriplegic.

(JKBS = The Jill Kinmont Booth School)

[Midlodemocrat]

18. How cool is that? They named a school for her!

[ET Awful]

21. It's not your typical school either. It's a bit different, I don't know

if I'd call it a special needs school, but it's definitely way different from what I'm seeing at the site.

[CottonBear]

19. I read the book. Very inspiring but tragic story. n/t

[LostinVA]

22. She "ran" with the torch for the Salt lake City games

through Bishop, CA. She's done so much good with her life.

She probably would have been one of the greatest female skiers of all time -- right up there with Andrea Mead and Picabo Street.

[LostinVA]

23. She taught Native American kids

No other school system would let her teach... but they embraced her, and she them.

[CottonBear]

26. BBC reports she was flown by helicopter to hospital with a back injury.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4708870.stm

I hope she'll be oK with no permanent damage. She was airborne then hit the slopw hard on her back. :(

[Lochloosa]

27. It looks like she will be ok....

The injuries apparently were not as severe as first feared.

"The X-rays are normal," said Ed Ryan, USOC medical director. "The decision now is how long she stays in the hospital. There's also a question about whether she banged her head. She is complaining of back pain, but that's normal. We will evaluate further and monitor her condition."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/torino/alpine/2006-02-13-womens-downhill_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA

[CottonBear]

28. That's great news! I hate to see any of the athletes get hurt. n/t

[Left Is Write]

29. Yikes! I hope she'll be all right.