Men's comebacks in time for Sochi

ALPINE SKI. Apart from their desire to go fast on skis, this upcoming winter Beat Feuz (SUI), Johan Clarey (FRA), Bode Miller (USA), Julien Lizeroux (FRA), and Klaus Kroell, will all have another thing in common – they will all be coming back from injuries.

While the comeback ladies were highlighted ilast week, this week will introduce the men who are attempting to return to the World Cup circuit after injuries.

Beat Feuz

2011/12 was a dream season for Beat Feuz who finished as runner-up to Overall World Cup winner Marcel Hirscher, The then 25 year-old collected his first ever podium at the beginning of the season in Lake Louise and went on to achieve 14 more by the last race.. As if this was not enough, he threw five victories in the mix, clocking the fastest times at classics such as Val Gardena (ITA) and Wengen (SUI) but also proving unbeatable at the 2014 Olympic downhill slope in Sochi (RUS).

Just as he was preparing for the 2012 season opening in Soelden (AUT), what had been a non-worrying knee pain became a major infection, forcing Feuz to spend five weeks at in hospital, miss the entire 2012/13 season and even question the continuation of his career. But this August he was finally able to put his skis back on and in September he began training in the gates.

“On the super-G skis I don’t really feel much pain in the knee, while in giant slalom I can still feel a little bit of pain,” Feuz said.

It is still unclear when Feuz might be back racing but he is scheduled to start training again with the Swiss team in October.

Johan Clarey

Just two days before he was scheduled to compete in the super-G race at the World Championships in Schladming, it became obvious that the acute back pain Johan Clarey was feeling was more serious than anyone thought. After an evaluation, the doctors realised that the extent of his back injury would not only force him out of the World Championships, but also required an emergency surgery. Three months later, Clarey was back on skis, he spent the summer training with the team and is expected to make a full recovery in time for the new season.

Bode Miller

After missing half of the 2011/12 and the whole 2012/13 season due to a knee injury suffered during the test events in Sochi and aggravated during the races in Bansko (BUL) in 2012, Bode Miller is aiming to return in time for his fifth Olympic Games.

“It was tough for me to miss a season of ski racing, but this decision was easy for me when I look at my opportunities next year. My knee should be stronger than any time since before I injured it in 2001. This was a big year for me, getting married, so I’ve been able to enjoy that and extra time with my daughter,” Miller said about his decision to sit out the whole last season.

Since then Miller has joined the team for training camps in South America and is expected to rejoin the Tour this winter.

Julien Lizeroux

The Kitzbuehel slalom in January 2011 was the last competition Julien Lizeroux entered and despite the long road back from a knee injury that refused to get better, he has never given up hope. This summer the French veteran seems close to a comeback, training with the team since May. He is doing a 100% physical training programme while adapting some exercises and focusing on slalom when training on snow. Will he be ready to race again this season?

“As far as plans, there are none. I just want to enjoy every day I feel good. As we have a really strong tech team, I will train with them in Ushuaia, Saas Fee and Tignes until October and I will try to be ready for Levi's slalom,” he said when asked about next season.

Klaus Kroell

Klaus Kroell, crashed during the final super-G race of the season in Lenzerheide (SUI) and was diagnosed with a fracture of the left humerus and humeral head. The 32-year-old speed specialist underwent surgery the same day and should be fully recovered in time for the season.

Felix Neureuther

After 14 weeks off snow due to an ankle injury, Felix Neureuther is back on snow and training to be ready next season.

And while all of the above racers are on the way back from an injury, in recent days Jens Byggmark (SWE) suffered a knee injury, which required surgery and will not be competing next season.

FISalpine.com
Thursday 3 October 2013

Plenty of comebacks on the ladies side in time for Sochi

Apart from their desire to go fast on skis, this upcoming winter Lindsey Vonn (USA), Beat Feuz (SUI), Johan Clarey (FRA), Bode Miller (USA), Tanja Poutiainen (FIN), Julien Lizeroux (FRA), Federica Brignone, Denise Karbon (ITA), Klaus Kroell, Marlies Schild (AUT), Chemmy Alcott (GBR) and Susanne Riesch (GER) will all have another thing in common – they will all be coming back from injuries.

Some of the above mentioned skiers only missed a portion of last season, while others are coming back from longer-term injuries.

Today we want to make a summary of the ladies who will be back on snow for the coming season.

Lindsey Vonn

Probably the best-known injury was the one suffered by Lindsey Vonn during the super-G race at the Schladming 2013 World Championships. As one of the medal favorites, Vonn was charging down, posting the fastest first interval, when she went down off a jump midway down the course. Vonn suffered a torn ACL and MCL in her right knee and a lateral tibial plateau fracture. The US champion was transported to Vail where she had surgery and started working on her comeback. After seven months of hard work, this September, Vonn was ready to get back on snow, her body felt ready and she joined the US team in Chile.“ My knee is not swollen, it didn’t hurt at all, I didn’t feel anything and I honestly can’t tell which knee was injured,” she said of her first days back on skis.

Federica Brignone

An ankle injury forced Federica Brignone to miss the giant slalom race in Courchevel (FRA) and sit out the rest of the season.

“I came to a point where I couldn’t keep going,” Federica explained. “The pain became intolerable and I was struggling to even walk properly. I tried to keep going, but skiing became a pain and stopped being fun,” she said.

After having surgery on the injured ankle, Brignone was back on skis already in March and training with the team in May so she is expected to be fully ready for Soelden in October.

Denise Karbon

After brutally straddling a gate during the giant slalom race at the Finals in Lenzerheide, Italian Denise Karbon suffered a fracture of her right ankle and had to undergo surgery. After training back on snow this summer, her coach Livio Magoni has a positive feeling: “Denise has made large progress especially towards the end of the training sessions. She can handle 1.30 minutes of giant slalom again and is on a good track for the next season.”

Susanne Riesch

Susanne Riesch, the younger sister of Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed in September 2011 during the training camp in Chile. The knee injury she sustained forced her to miss the last two seasons. From the most recent reports she is recovering well and has been back training with the team.

“I have resumed training and hope to soon start in the World Cup. A dream would be, of course, attending the Winter Olympics in Sochi," she wrote to her fans on her web page.

Tanja Poutiainen

After suffering an injury to her left knee during a giant slalom race in Ofterschwang, Tanja Poutiainen was quick to begin her comeback. The Finnish champion and proud owner of three small crystal globes, 11 World Cup victories and five medals from major events is working hard towards her comeback at the same facility in Selce, Croatia which has helped Janica and Ivica Kostelic get back on their feet after their multiple injuries. During a break between her training sessions in July she got engaged to her long-term boyfriend Vesa and will be back next season happier than ever.

Marlies Schild

Last but not least in this group is Marlies Schild who suffered a crash a few days before Christmas while training in Are and tore a ligament in her right knee. Despite the initial announcement that the season ended prematurely, Schild was back on her skis at the end of January and attempted a comeback in Schladming at the World Championships. But after a ninth place in the slalom she decided she needed a bit more time to heal and be fully ready for the Olympic season ahead.

Chemmy Alcott

British skier Chemmy Alcott hit yet another bump in her comeback from the injury she suffered during a fall in Lake Louise in 2010. While training in Saas Fee she broke her leg again.

“Clean, easy break already weight bearing. Medical opinion is I will miss first races but will be good to go full speed ahead after. Unfortunate set back but I am used to the adversity, just another chapter before the Hollywood finish in Sochi!” she wrote on her Facebook page.

Despite doctors’ predictions that she might have to skip the first races of the season, Alcott is keeping her spirit high and her goal in focus. The recently engaged 31 year-old is aiming to compete at the Olympic Games in Sochi and is working hard to meet her goal.

And while all of the above racers are on the way back from an injury, in recent days Marion Rolland (FRA), 2013 World Champion in downhill suffered a knee injury, which required surgery and won’t be competing next season.

by Ana Jelusic
FISalpine.com
Thursday 26 September 2013