Serwa out of Winter X with injury

January, 23, 2012
Jan 23
01:07
PM ET
By Devon O'Neil

Eric Lars Bakke/ESPN ImagesSerwa won the 2011 Skier X with a spectacular crash finish.

Kelsey Serwa, last year's gold medalist in Women's Skier X, won't get a chance to defend her title in Aspen due to a spectacular crash last week at a World Cup race in Alpe d'Huez, France.

"My season was ended early after a sweet flat spin, 360, spread-eagle crash over a boxed feature and onto the flat hard ground," Serwa confirmed in an e-mail. "I got an MRI [Jan. 17] and the results show a blown ACL, bone bruising, slight tear to my MCL and some meniscus damage. Other than the ACL, everything should be able to heal itself."

Serwa upset Ophelie David's bid for a fifth straight Skier X gold in scintillating fashion last January, soaring 150 feet off the final jump into a breathtaking crash that left her with a bloody face. She recovered to win the FIS World Championship in Utah a week later, and this winter, she won a pair of early World Cups to take the points lead into the Alpe d'Huez race.

Serwa's season-ending injury adds to the Canadian team's woes and, as of Sunday, leaves just one North American woman -- Canada's Marielle Thompson -- on the start list for Skier X. Canadian stars Ashleigh McIvor, the 2010 Olympic champion, and Julia Murray, last year's World Championships silver medalist, are already out for Winter X with torn ACLs of their own. "I do not have a confirmed date for surgery as of yet, but we are shooting for an appointment at the end of this month," Serwa said.

ESPN Conversations


You must be signed in to post a comment

Already have an account?

You are fully responsible for the content you post. Content that includes profanity, personal attacks or antisocial behavior (such as "spamming" or "trolling"), or other inappropriate content or material will be removed. We reserve the right to block any user who violates our terms of use, including removing all content posted by that user.

MUST READ

Just because winter is over doesn't mean you have to stop skiing. Sign up for a summer camp. Summer camp guide Video Ingrid Backstrom camp

CONTRIBUTORS

Ingrid Backstrom Olivia Dwyer Megan Michelson Devon O'Neil Griffin Post John Symms Cody Townsend

MORE FREESKIING

    Interviews
  • JP Auclair
    Getting to know the thoughts, dreams and fears of skier JP Auclair
    • Photos
  • Tioga Pass
    Skiers and snowboarders flock to Tioga Pass, despite low California snowpack
    • Video
  • Kaya Turski
    A video interview with Winter X Slopestyle champ Kaya Turski

EVENT CALENDAR

EventDates
Sammy Carlson Invitational5/19
World Heli Challenge, New Zealand8/1-8/17
FIS Ski Halfpipe World Cup, New Zealand8/22
TNF Freeski Open, New Zealand8/28-9/8
Swatch Skier's Cup, Chile9/1-9/9

FREESKIING ATHLETES ON TWITTER

Follow ESPN Freeskiing on Twitter »

ACTION SPORTS HEADLINES

More Stories »