Slovak skier Petra Vlhová, Mikaela Shiffrin’s main rival in slalom, fell and was transported off the hill with an apparent knee injury during the first run of a women’s World Cup giant slalom on Saturday.
Vlhová underwent “medical examinations” at a nearby hospital, her team said in an initial statement.
The Olympic slalom champion suffered torn ligaments and will miss the rest of the season, according to multiple reports.
While racing in front of 10,000 spectators in Jasná, a resort about 17 km from her hometown of Liptovský Mikuláš in the Tatra Mountains, Vlhová lost her balance in a left turn after 14 seconds.
The 28-year-old adjusted her position and initially avoided a fall, but then leaned back and went down sideways before sliding into the safety barrier.
Vlhová, who was the 2019 world GS champion and defeated Shiffrin to the 2021 overall title, was treated for several minutes along the course before taking off from the hill on a sled. Upon arrival at the finish area, she waved to the spectators.
Italian skier Federica Brignone, who led the GS season standings when she started the race, also fell early in her run but was unhurt.
Olympic GS champion Sara Hector posted the fastest time in both runs, leading Shiffrin by 1.52 seconds. New Zealand’s Alice Robinson was behind in third place with 2.71.
Many racers struggled on the icy surface of the Lukova 2 course, leading to huge time gaps.
During the race weekend in Slovakia there is also a slalom on Sunday.