Austrian skier Schneeberger undergoes operation on broken leg

Austria's Rosina Schneeberger has undergone surgery for a double leg fracture following a violent crash during the women's World Cup super-G race in Val di Fassa, the Austrian ski federation said Monday.

"She was operated on early Sunday evening in Innsbruck and the surgery went well," the federation revealed.

Schneeberger fractured her right tibia and fibula after crashing heavily at the top of the course. She was knocked off her feet after clipping a gate and skidded down the slope and into the safety nets.

Racing was interrupted as the emergency staff attended to the Austrian and a helicopter arrived to carry her away on a stretcher.

Sunday's race had already been interrupted following a crash involving Norwegian Kajsa Vickhoff Lie. She also had to be lifted off the course by helicopter after breaking her left leg.

Vickhoff Lie lost her footing halfway through her run, spinning, falling and then sliding at speed into the safety nets where she was flipped over as she bumped downhill. In the absence of fans, screams were clearly audible.

Schneeberger, 27, had been absent from the World Cup circuit for almost three years between 2017 and 2020 following a serious knee injury.