Vonn: Ski Course Is Dangerous

US gold medalist criticizes conditions in Vancouver
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 19, 2010 5:12 PM CST
Vonn: Ski Course Is Dangerous
In these photos, Lindsey Vonn of the United States crashes during the slalom portion of the Women's super combined at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Feb. 18, 2010.   (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Lindsey Vonn criticized Olympic authorities for the "dangerous" conditions on Whistler Hill that have led her and other skiers to crash. "They could've done maybe a little bit better job of grooming the hill and making it smoother for the athletes," Vonn said. "It's definitely challenging when you have a long course that's so bumpy, and then at the very end, you have a monstrous jump. And I think that's a little bit dangerous."

In a tacit acknowledgment of Vonn's point, Olympic officials did lower the jump, which sends skiers flying into the air for about 50 yards, but only after several skiers had already crashed out on it. "You could see that with Anja" Paerson, an experienced Swedish skier, Vonn told NPR. "Her legs just gave out, and then she went off the jump in a really bad position, and crashed."
(More Lindsey Vonn stories.)

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