Chemmy Alcott was putting in another inspiring and awesome performance in the first training for the World Championship Downhill (and also for the Super Combined) when she lost control and ended up riding the netting just after the jump that claimed Lindsey Vonn in the Super G. The Canadian team Head coach, Hugues Ansermoz explained after the run that "she was really scared as the problem has always been the leg. It is still not totally healed two years after the accident so when something happens she is scared about the leg right away. They took the boot off right away and the foot was starting to swell. I was with her in the hospital just now and they did all the tests possible and there is nothing, bone or ligament damage. The bone is a little bit bruised and she will get some physio and ice but tomorrow will be pretty tough for her to be on the course."
Atle Skaardal announced that there was good news regarding Chemmy at the team captains meeting and she is still on the start list for the second training run on Thursday. Ansermoz explained that Chemmy will still be on the start list and the intention is for her to still do the Super Combined on Friday and then the downhill on Sunday "but this will all depend on the pain."
At the last split before she fell, Chemmy posted the tenth fastest split so was going really well.
"Mentally it is really tough for Chemmy," explained Ansermoz, "everytime since the big accident when she gets a set back like this, the summer it was the same in Saas Fee when the plate in her leg moved a little bit, it is tough." This is the first big crash, of this magnitude that Alcott has suffered and the coaches feel that this is a positive step forward, strange as it sounds. "This is another box ticked, we have to look at this in a positive way!"
Chemmy Alcott is a fighter and she will, no doubt, not let this hold her back in her fight to reach her goals.