Olympics-Alpine skiing-Vonn's dream gone in 13 seconds after horror crash

Lindsey Vonn's Olympic Journey and Crash

By Alan Baldwin

The Crash Incident

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn's bid to win Olympic downhill gold with a ruptured ACL lasted 13 seconds on Sunday as the American great suffered a horrific crash early in her run.

Reactions from Peers and Officials

Vonn, 41, whose battle to reach the start line despite her knee injury dominated the opening days of the Milano Cortina Olympics, saw her unlikely bid end in agony.

Medical Response and Condition

Wearing bib number 13 and with a brace on the knee she injured in a crash at Crans Montana on January 30, Vonn looked pumped up at the start gate, tapping her ski poles before setting off in typically aggressive fashion.

Vonn has a deep knowledge of Cortina's Olimpia delle Tofane, having won 12 World Cup races there in a glittering career.

But she appeared to clip the fourth gate with her shoulder and lost control. She then barrelled off the sunlit course at high speed before coming to rest in a crumpled heap.

Vonn could be heard screaming on television coverage as fans and teammates gasped in horror before a shocked hush fell on the finish area at the bottom of the Olimpia delle Tofane course.

She was quickly surrounded by several medics and officials before a yellow helicopter arrived and winched her off the course bound up in an orange stretcher.

The helicopter took Vonn to Cortina's Codivilla Putti Hospital for a medical assessment. As it flew overhead towards the town, spectators applauded.

There was no immediate word on her condition.

Fellow American Breezy Johnson, the world champion who had set the fastest time, covered her eyes and looked away as the helicopter was called. Johnson was later crowned champion but it was a bitter-sweet day for the team.

Vonn, the 2010 downhill champion, had been hoping to become the oldest Alpine skiing Olympic medallist after winning two World Cup races this year.

SKIERS LEFT SHOCKED

Vonn is the highest-profile athlete at the Games and the American's crash sent shockwaves across day two.

Her teammate, downhill skier Bryce Bennett, watching in the town square on a big screen in Bormio, was left shocked by what he had seen.

"It's obviously a bummer. It's just like the risk of downhill is high and ... Like, everyone makes it look so easy when it's going smooth and then you see how quickly it can go in the other direction.

"Her right leg didn't look so good, but we'll see."

Even TV commentators were visibly shaken by Vonn's crash.

Double Olympic gold medallist Tina Maze, working for Eurosport, said Vonn had risked too much in her run.

"Of course if you're not healthy then the consequences are even worse, but we know all Lindsey," she said. "It's her decision that she wanted to do this no matter what.

"It's really tough for everyone here to see this and especially for her family and her teammates and everyone working with her. I mean it's terrible."

FIS president Johan Eliasch gave his thoughts on the crash.

"Tragic, but it's ski racing, right? And I can only say, thank you for what she has done for our sport because this race has been the talk of the Games and it's put our sport in the best possible light. I hope she will have a speedy recovery, and is back on skis very, very soon.

"A lot of people are going to say she shouldn't have been racing today with that type of injury."

Vonn's sister, Karin Kildow, said she had put her 'whole heart' into racing at the Olympics on a course she loves.

"That's definitely the last thing we wanted to see," she told NBC. "When that happens, you're just immediately hoping she's okay, and it was scary. She dared greatly, and she put it all out there."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Writing by Martyn Herman; Additional reporting by Sara Rossi, Julien Pretot and Marleen Kasebier; Editing by Ken Ferris)