Crash
Olympics
Three-time Olympic medalist snowboarder Mark McMorris of Team Canada suffered a bad crash on Wednesday in preparation for the Milano-Cortina Olympics. Athletes were training for the big air qualifying round in Livigno, Italy, when McMorris crashed and was quickly stretchered off the hill by medical staff.
The Canadian Olympic Committee released a statement about the crash, describing it as “heavy.” The committee has not yet provided an update on McMorris’ status.
Big air qualifiers are set to begin on Thursday, February 5, at 1:30 CET (7:30 EST) but McMorris announced on social media that he will not be able to compete due to a head injury.
“I took a fall last night and I hit my head and I will not be able to compete in Big Air tonight unfortunately. But fortunately, things are looking up for Slopestyle, so just trying to stay positive and shift my focus to that event. A massive thank you to the amazing medical staff that took awesome care of me and thank you all for reaching out—all the love and support.” – Mark McMorris on IG
The Big Air event features a huge jump built partly using scaffolding, where snowboarders ride down a large ramp and take off, performing spins, flips, and grabs. The top of the ramp is over 50 meters (165 feet) tall.
McMorris is coming off an X Games slopestyle victory less than two weeks ago. He also holds four X Games medals in the big air discipline.
McMorris has suffered life-threatening injuries in the past, most notably after colliding with a tree in the backcountry. He also has a rod in his leg, a plate in his arm, and a plate in his jaw due to accumulated injuries throughout his career.
While McMorris’ status remains unclear, further updates on his condition are expected to be released by the Canadian Olympic Committee as information becomes available.
