Crash
Industry News
France’s Cyprien Sarrazin suffered a serious crash during training today, December 27, in Bormio, Italy. The men’s speed specialists are currently completing the official two Downhill training days on the Stelvio slope in Bormio. Sarazzin had dominated yesterday’s training session, leading by more than a second on the first training day ahead of Mattia Casse, but today, the 30-year-old fell violently after one of the jumps on the lower section of the course. Sarazzin was leading the training run again by more than half a second but came off the jump at an angle and flew sideways, almost landing backward on the hard-packed slope. He spun and tumbled and hit his head and seemingly lost consciousness, sliding motionlessly into the safety nets lower down.
The 2023 winner from Bormio was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital, where a subdural hematoma was diagnosed. A subdural hematoma is a collection of blood that forms between the dura mater (the outermost membrane covering the brain) and the brain itself. It occurs when blood vessels, usually veins, rupture and leak blood into this space. This typically happens due to head trauma. Treatment includes burr hole drainage or, in extreme cases, a craniotomy, where a section of the skull is temporarily removed to access and remove the clot.
Since recovery can take several weeks or months, it is unlikely Sarrazin will be returning to the World Cup circuit this season. The French ski racer is currently in the neurological intensive care unit. Depending on the extent of his injury and the size of his subdural hematoma, he may face lengthy rehabilitation, including occupational therapy or speech therapy, to address neurological impairments.
The French Ski Association, Fédération Française de Ski (FFS) updated followers on X (Twitter) that Cyprien Sarrazin had undergone emergency surgery and was in ICU but conscious.
Après sa chute sur l’entraînement de Bormio ce matin, Cyprien SARRAZIN, souffre d’un hématome sous dural. il est gardé à l’hôpital en réanimation neurologique pour le moment. Cyprien est conscient, il reste sous surveillance.
Agence Zoom pic.twitter.com/Nb15JlUxHy— FFS – Fédération Française de Ski (@FedFranceSki) December 27, 2024
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