The alpine ski race on the Kitzbüheler Streif had to be canceled on Friday after two serious falls - the athletes were transported away by helicopter.
Update from January 23, 8:39 a.m.:
After
Urs Kryenbühl's
bad fall,
there is now a diagnosis.
Swiss Ski announced on Friday evening that the Swiss skier suffered a concussion, a fracture of the right collarbone and a tear in the cruciate and inner ligament in his right knee, according to an initial examination.
He's staying in the hospital overnight.
Sports fans know: A cruciate ligament rupture is one of the bitterest diagnoses one can get.
Streif: Urs Kryenbühl with a terrible fall in Kitzbühel
First report from January 22nd, 6:32 p.m .:
Kitzbühel - The legendary
Streif
in
Kitzbühel
can make dreams come true, but it can also be just as dangerous.
Both were proven again in the
alpine skiing race
on Friday.
The winner
Beat Feuz
from
Switzerland
, who has already finished second four times on the route, could not enjoy his long-awaited triumph to the fullest.
Instead, he had to be annoyed about the jump shortly before the finish line: “The jump has been an issue for three days - it goes too far.
At this speed it doesn't have to go 60 or 70 meters.
40 meters is enough, ”he told
ORF
.
How Feuz was overwhelmed by both anger and shock, you could see when he was
faded
in after the serious fall of his compatriot
Urs Kryenbühl
.
The 26-year-old was hit on that target jump at a speed of around 147 km / h.
Not only did he land unhappily on his head, his skis even broke into several pieces.
The athlete had to be treated immediately, and a rescue helicopter transported him away.
The good news: Kryenbühl has probably not lost consciousness, is even said to have recognized his coach.
Before the first diagnosis, there was talk of "luck in unhappiness".
Streif: Ryan Cochran-Siegle also had to be flown away
At that time, the race had to be stopped for the second time, because the American
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
was flown away in a helicopter due to a fall.
The professional even broke through a safety net in his accident shortly before the traverse.
The jury was informed that he complained of shoulder pain.
The race was canceled after 30 athletes had crossed the finish line - this is the minimum number of athletes that must reach the finish line for the competition to be considered.
In the end, Feuz, Austrian
Matthias Mayer
and Italian
Dominik Paris
from
South Tyrol
stood on the podium
.
From the perspective of the Germans, the race went very well.
DSV ace
Andreas Sander
achieved a strong fifth place.
“I felt really good.
Today was a good run, but tomorrow I'll take it again.
We'll then see whether the better performance is enough for a better ranking, ”he said
fiercely
to
ZDF
.
Romed Baumann
was also eighth and
Josef Ferstl
was one place behind
Dominik Schwaiger
thirteenth.
Here you can read the race in the live ticker.
Streif: Renewed discussions about dangerous target jump
The results were of course overshadowed by the accidents, which once again provided plenty of discussion material about the severity of the route.
“The jump has been an issue for three days.
I sailed 60, 70 meters out.
It doesn't have to be, ”Paris
pointed out
to
ORF
.
Even for “Pepi” Ferstl things got tight at the jump: “I noticed in the air: Have the honor, it goes far!
I knew I had to stay compact, keep the tension, otherwise it would rattle. "
Even if the risk for Ferstl is part of the sport, something has to change.
“We have the discussions every year.
Some viewers say it has to be made more spectacular.
But we athletes say that if you ride 140, you don't have to put in any traps.
You have to come up with something.
The material is partly no longer controllable at over 100 km / h. "
However, it is very unlikely that anything will change before tomorrow's race.
Then the “real”
Hahnenkamm race
in Kitzbühel will start at
11.30 am
.
The competition on Friday was only moved from
Wengen
to Kitzbühel.
On Saturday, the athletes can look forward to significantly more prize money and attention - even if there
can
not be 50,000 fans on the track
due to the
corona situation
.
(ta)