The injury list in the Swiss-Ski alpine team is getting smaller compared to the previous season. However, two downhill world champions are still causing concern.
Corinne Suter: Achilles heel knee
Corinne Suter tears her anterior cruciate ligament in Cortina d'Ampezzo at the end of January and suffers a meniscus injury in her left knee. After a long period of rehab, the 2021 Olympic downhill champion and world champion is now back on the snow. However, Suter is still a long way from racing. "Unfortunately, I'm not as far as I'd like to be," says the 30-year-old. Her knee reacts to new stresses and strains, and is constantly swelling. She deliberately doesn't name a date for her comeback. "I know when the plane leaves for overseas. Of course, it would be nice to be at the speed season opener in Beaver Creek (December 14/15). But that's still far in the back of my mind."
Jasmine Flury: It takes time
Jasmine Flury takes a knock in the downhill in Crans-Montana. What initially looks harmless turns out to be cartilage damage in her right knee. A protracted and complex injury from which the downhill world champion has not yet recovered. Her ski boots remain in the corner. "Therapeutic skiing is on the cards soon. But it all takes a lot of time." Flury has not set herself a target for when she wants to be back at the start. "My goal this season is to get healthy. When and where I come back will be determined by my knee."
Wendy Holdener: injury cured
Wendy Holdener suffers a fracture to her left ankle during training in Pozza di Fassa in Trentino in December and has to undergo surgery. The skier from Schwyz is out for the rest of the season and postpones an early comeback. On the one hand because the healing process is not optimal, and on the other because her brother Kevin died of cancer in February. The death is still on her mind today and she often thinks of her brother. While her mind still needs time to recover from the loss, her body has fully recovered from the injury. "The foot has healed. I had good preparation and I'm happy. Everything is going according to plan."
Joana Hählen: On the road without cruciate ligaments
Joana Hählen's last season is over after a jump in the downhill in Cortina. The cruciate ligament in her right knee is torn. Tests show that the skier from the Bernese Oberland was already racing with a damaged cruciate ligament. She avoids an operation and instead skis without anterior cruciate ligaments - she also treated the one in her left knee conservatively after an earlier injury. Her constitution makes it possible. "I have a lot of muscle strength and I'm small. That's why it works," she says, who wants to be at the start in Beaver Creek.
Aline Danioth: A new attempt
Aline Danioth suffers a serious knee injury again in March 2023. The 24-year-old from Uri tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a European Cup giant slalom in Sweden. This is the sixth serious injury in the last six years for the technical specialist. Now she is about to make her comeback in the World Cup. "I feel fitter than ever before. Nothing stands in the way of a start in Levi."
Franjo von Allmen: luck in misfortune
After his successful debut season, Franjo von Allmen has suffered a setback in his preparations. The 23-year-old speed specialist injured his right knee joint at the beginning of September. Examinations revealed a bruised femur and tibia as well as a pulled cruciate ligament. An operation is not necessary, but Von Allmen has to miss four weeks of snow training and misses the training camp in Chile. "That was a shame, of course. But I was lucky in misfortune. I only narrowly escaped a total loss." Von Allmen wants to be back on skis in a week's time. The goal remains the speed season opener in Beaver Creek at the beginning of December.
Marco Kohler: The stand-up guy
Marco Kohler tears the anterior cruciate ligament and inner meniscus in his right knee after a fall in the World Cup downhill in Wengen. He was already seriously injured at the Lauberhorn in 2020. As the lead skier, he crashed in the finish S and tore the cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, the patellar tendon and the meniscus in his left knee. "The first injury was much worse," says the 26-year-old from Meiringen. He has tackled his rehab in a correspondingly positive manner. "I'm on schedule. If I don't suffer a relapse, I should be there in Beaver Creek."
