Injured U.S. skier Lalive likely to miss Olympics

Damage to knee necessitates 14th surgical procedure of her career

updated 9:20 p.m. ET Jan. 26, 2006

PARK CITY, Utah - U.S. skier Caroline Lalive needs surgery on her injured left knee and is expected to miss the Olympics.

She’s heading to the United States from Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, where she was injured during a World Cup training run, the U.S. Ski Team said Thursday.

“We’re extremely disappointed for Caroline, who had been having one of her best seasons ever,” U.S. Alpine Director Jesse Hunt said. “But we will have a strong team in women’s downhill.”

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Lalive, named Wednesday to what would have been her third Olympic team, was hurt in downhill practice at Cortina d’Ampezzo when she landed awkwardly after a jump.

The preliminary diagnosis was that Lalive broke her left knee cap, according to U.S. Ski Team medical director Melinda Roalstad.

The 26-year-old Lalive’s best Olympic finish was seventh in the combined event at the 1998 Nagano Games.

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Lalive finished second in the World Cup downhill at Val d’Isere, France, on Dec. 17, matching her best career result.

After returning from several injuries and undergoing surgery 13 times, Lalive has five World Cup top three finishes in her career.

The U.S. Ski Team said that while Lalive probably will miss the Feb. 10-26 Turin Olympics, no one will be added to the team’s roster. Lalive, the No. 2 qualifier in the downhill, likely would be replaced in that event by Kirsten Clark, who already was on the American team based on her super-G results.