Canadian freeskier Sarah Burke on Friday remained hospitalized in critical condition and under intensive care, three days after suffering a head injury during a fall in the superpie at Park City Mountain Resort.
Friday's update, like past updates, revealed no detailed information, and doctors at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City have not offered any predictions regarding Burke's recovery.
"Sarah remains in critical condition in the Neuro Critical Care Unit," Safdar Ansari, a specialist in neurocritical care, said in a statement. "With traumatic brain injury, our care is focused on addressing the primary injury and preventing secondary brain damage, as well as managing other injuries sustained at the time of the accident; all of which requires close monitoring and intensive care.
"At this moment, Sarah needs more time before any prognosis can be determined."
A news conference regarding Burke's condition is scheduled for Monday.
Meanwhile, lots of people have been wondering about the safety of Eagle Superpipe at the Park City resort, because it's the same venue in which snowboarder Kevin Pearce was critically injured while training on Dec. 31, 2009.
Pearce, who had been training for his Olympics debut, suffered traumatic brain injuries and endured a long and comprehensive rehabilitation period. He had to re-learn how to walk. His snowboarding career is over but last month he rode a snowboard for the first time since his accident.
The Eagle Superpipe is not unique. But a lot of elite skiers and snowboarders train there, and they continue to push their sports to new and more dangerous limits, performing multiple spins and flips high above icy 22-foot walls.
Skiers and snowboarders risk striking their heads on the lips of the superpipe walls while attempting to land their tricks (Pearce), or on the rock-hard bottom of the U-shaped superpipe after an awkward fall (Burke).
As athletes soar higher and perform more difficult tricks, the risk increases.
To be sure, the progression of freeskiing and snowboarding and how it relates to superpipe safety will be the focus of some stories in advance of the Winter X Games at Aspen, Colo., at the end of the month.
If similar accidents occur in the next year or two, the same will be true in advance of the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi, Russia.
Burke, 29, a four-time X Games champion, was considered the Olympic gold medal favorite before her accident. Men's and women's freeskiing will make their Olympics debut at the Sochi Games.
Bless you Sarah!
Posted by: trophy hunts | Jan 15, 2012 at 10:07 AM