"Enormous weakness": Ski racer breaks both legs in a violent accident

Created: 2022-11-15, 3:51 p.m

By: Antonio Jose Riether

The season is over for the Austrian ski racer Max Franz after a severe training accident.

The 33-year-old broke both legs.

Copper Mountain - Many professional athletes make it through their careers without major complications, while others often struggle with injuries.

Especially in winter sports, the season is mostly over when there have been serious accidents, and the Austrian ski racer Max Franz can tell you a thing or two about it.

The 33-year-old has already been out for a long time several times, now he has suffered another serious injury and will miss the entire World Cup season.

Austria's skier Max Franz with a serious accident in downhill training

For Franz, who competes in the disciplines downhill, super-G, giant slalom and combination for the Alpine Republic, there was a serious accident on Sunday during downhill training on Copper Mountain in the US state of Colorado.

The Carinthian fell so badly that he suffered several broken bones, as the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) announced on Monday.

He sustained an open fracture of the lower leg on his left leg and a compound fracture of the lower leg on his right leg, as well as a laceration on his right arm.

On Sunday Franz underwent surgery on both legs in Vail by Randy Viola, the US ski team's doctor.

Ski racer Max Franz in his Austrian homeland.

© Thomas Bachun/imago

Violent accident with ÖSV driver: Franz had "a lot planned for this season"

The reason for the momentous fall was probably a training error, as Marko Pfeifer, Sporting Director Alpine Skiing Men of the ÖSV, explained.

“Max started the swing too tightly in a double left turn, then got caught in the goal with his upper body and then fell.

It's a shame because he has big plans for this season.” The man from Klagenfurt would have started the new season in the downhill race in Lake Louise, Canada, on November 26th.

“For our speed team it is a huge weakness.

I wish Max that he comes back as soon as possible," Pfeifer was quoted as saying.

It is not the first time that the association has had to do without the 2017 World Cup bronze medalist and triple individual World Cup winner.

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ÖSV ski racer Max Franz has already missed a few seasons due to injury

Because Franz seems to be plagued by bad luck.

In November 2009 he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Beaver Creek, also during downhill training in Colorado.

Only at the beginning of the 2010/11 season was the three-time Olympic participant able to take part in races again.

The next serious injury followed in January 2016, when Franz suffered serious injuries to his left knee and left wrist during the first training session for a race in Kitzbühel.

Also this year he was forced to end the season early.

Exactly three years later, in January 2019, he injured himself again in Kitzbühel.

A blow to his right foot caused him to fracture his heel bone.

Again he missed the season prematurely and with it the world championship.