|
LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland - Maria Hoefl-Riesch was taken to a hospital with a shoulder injury after crashing in a downhill race on Wednesday, allowing Anna Fenninger of Austria to move atop the overall World Cup standings. Jake Peavy Authentic . The final downhill of the season was won by Lara Gut of Switzerland, the Olympic bronze medallist , but the drama centred on 2011 champion Hoefl-Riesch. The 29-year-old German was taken by helicopter off the slope and then brought to a nearby hospital for treatment. "She has pain in the shoulder and back on the right side. We dont know yet but we dont expect any fracture or (dislocation)," Germany team spokesman Ralph Eder told The Associated Press by telephone. Fenninger was sixth-fastest before Hoefl-Riesch started last in what has shaped up as a back-and-forth duel for the overall title. Hoefl-Riesch crashed midway down when her skis slipped away beneath her at a sharp right-hand turn. She slid off course and became tangled in the safety nets. With Fenninger failing to win the race, Hoefl-Riesch had clinched the season-long downhill title minutes before entering the start gate. But she missed valuable points toward the bigger prize. The downhill trophy ceremony went ahead after the race with an empty top step on the podium and the German anthem playing as the helicopter landed nearby. Fenninger earned 40 points to take an 11-point lead overall. That could be enough for her first title if Hoefl-Riesch is unable to compete in the three remaining races this week. "I hope Maria can race again. I dont know how she is," Fenninger said. "My focus is on the next two races. What she is doing, I cant change." The 24-year-old Austrian will start in super-G on Thursday and the season-ending giant slalom on Sunday. Hoefl-Riesch was scheduled to start all four races at the World Cup Finals. She is chasing a second overall title after getting her third Olympic gold medal in Sochi last month. Still, no woman has won more World Cup races this season than Gut, who got her sixth victory and second in downhill. Gut won in 1 minute, 32.31 seconds, beating Elisabeth Goergl of Austria by 0.05 seconds. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten of Switzerland was third, 0.57 behind, in her final World Cup race before retiring. The womens race started two hours after the men went down the same 2.3-kilometre (1.43-mile) Silvano Beltrametti course. Gut was 2.32 seconds slower than mens winner Matthias Mayer of Austria, giving her the 18th fastest time of the day. Brandon Crawford Orange Jersey . Its been a successful Games for Canada, which will finish near the top of the medal standings again. From repeat gold medal winners to multiple medal winners to undefeated teams to acts that define the Olympic spirit, there are many solid candidates who could be considered to receive the honour. Matt Williams Orange Jersey . The team said Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche also had operations this week. Harper had the bursa in his left knee repaired after it had hampered him last season.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have reassigned defenceman Tim Erixon to their American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass. Erixon skated in two games for Columbus earlier this season and was a healthy scratch in the Blue Jackets 5-2 win over Washington on Thursday night. Santiago Casilla Authentic. He has four goals and 19 assists and a +6 plus/minus rating in 25 games with Springfield in 2013-14. In 51 career NHL appearances with the Blue Jackets and New York Rangers, Erixon has seven assists. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
