US Olympic Snowboard Contender Seriously Hurt

Olympic hopeful Kevin Pearce has 'long recovery' ahead

(NEWSER) - Doctors have upgraded Kevin Pearce’s condition from critical to serious and say the snowboarder is slowly regaining consciousness after a spill last week that left him with a traumatic brain injury. That’s “faster than anticipated,” one doctor says, but “he still has a long recovery ahead of him.” Pearce had been hoping to garner worldwide attention by pulling off a double cork at the Vancouver Olympics next month, notes the Boston Globe , which talked to him before his accident. More»

Kevin Pearce to ride with friends for first time in 2 years

(NEWSER) - After hitting his head during halfpipe training two years ago, Kevin Pearce lost his shot at snowboarding superstardom: The accident left him in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, one that blurred his vision, shook his balance, and altered his memory. But even if his glory days are over, he's not quitting the slopes, the New York Times reports. On Tuesday he'll ride for the first time since the accident, gathering friends and supporters for his return to snowboarding in Breckenridge, Colo. More»

Caydee Denney, Lindsey Jacobellis, Lindsey Vonn will be exciting

(NEWSER) - The Olympics are just three weeks from tomorrow, and The Frisky offers a look at American women you should keep your eye on when it’s time to tune in:

• Caydee Denney: The young unknown came out of nowhere to win the US figure skating championships with partner Jeremy Barret. Watch the video.
• Lindsey Jacobellis: The two-time world champ snowboarder is looking for a comeback to redeem her loss in the 2006 Olympics (see video).
• Lindsey Vonn: With her own two World Championships—and two World Cups—this 25-year-old skier was on track to excel at the 2006 games, but ended up in seventh place after an injury during training.

Olympian Torres rode copter over Hudson 2 days before crash

(NEWSER) - Crews searching the Hudson River for the victims of Sunday's collision between a sightseeing helicopter and a small plane located an eighth body yesterday in the submerged plane but were unable to recover it, 1010 WINS radio reports. Rough water and silt impeded the efforts of divers, who suspended work late Monday and planned to resume searching for the ninth and last body Tuesday. More»

Swimmer backs mom in NYC, up-ends bottle of Grey Goose

(NEWSER) - Michael Phelps, well on his way to reclaiming his All-American image, was spotted at a New York hotspot “drinking straight from a bottle of Grey Goose,” a source tells the Daily News. At one point, “he got up, started dancing like a loon and kept on yelling, ‘Shots!’” Phelps—who ordered four bottles of vodka—was in the city “to be with his mama, of course,” said Debbie Phelps. More»