‘Very Serious’: Top Freestyle Skier in Coma After Crash at Park City ‘Superpipe’
- Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:55am by
Scott Baker
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Photo: Canadian Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke was in a coma Tuesday after crashing during a training run on the superpipe in Park City, Utah.
In an email to The Associated Press, Peter Judge, CEO of the Canadian freestyle team, confirmed a report in the Toronto Globe and Mail that Burke was in a coma but didn’t know what that meant for her ultimate recovery. He told AP he didn’t expect any updates until early Wednesday.
“What I’ve heard, relatively directly, is that she landed a trick down in the bottom end of the pipe, and kind of bounced, from her feet to her head,” Judge told the Globe and Mail. “It wasn’t anything that looked like a catastrophic fall, so I’m a bit mystified.”
A spokeswoman at University Hospital in Salt Lake confirmed Burke had been admitted and was being evaluated.
Andy Miller, spokesman at the Park City Mountain Resort, said the accident happened early in the afternoon.
“She was stabilized there at the scene by resort mountain patrol, who took her to base patrol, where she was flown to the hospital in Salt Lake,” Miller said.
He said the halfpipe was the same one where snowboarder Kevin Pearce was critically injured during training on Dec. 31, 2009. Pearce suffered traumatic brain injuries but has since recovered and returned to riding on snow last month.
Burke’s husband, Rory Bushfield, also put out a message on Twitter seeking someone with a private jet who might help him and Burke’s mother expedite a trip from Vancouver to Salt Lake City.
“Sarah is a very, very strong human and she will be fine,” Bushfield told The Vancouver Sun.
Burke, 29, is a four-time Winter X Games champion in skiing superpipe — a replica of snowboarding’s halfpipe on skis. She lobbied aggressively to have the discipline included in the Olympics and was considered one of the top women‘s voices in the action sport’s scene.
With the help of her lobbying, skiing halfpipe will make its debut at the Sochi Games in 2014. If healthy, she is expected to contend for a gold medal.
A few weeks before the 2010 Olympics, while she was still struggling to get her sport included, Burke conceded in an interview with The AP that it was frustrating to be on the outside looking in.
“I think we’re all doing this, first off, because we love it and want to be the best,” Burke said. “But I also think it would’ve been a great opportunity, huge for myself and for skiing and for everyone, if we could’ve gotten into the Olympics. It’s sad. I mean, I’m super lucky to be where I am, but that would’ve been pretty awesome.”
Burke missed significant time in 2009 when she landed awkwardly and broke a vertebrae in her lower back. Since healing, she has returned to the top of her game and was scheduled to defend her title at the Winter X Games later this month in Aspen.
Andy Miller, spokesman at the Park City Mountain Resort, said the accident happened early in the afternoon.
“She was stabilized there at the scene by resort mountain patrol, who took her to base patrol, where she was flown to the hospital in Salt Lake,” Miller said.
He said the halfpipe was the same one where snowboarder Kevin Pearce was critically injured during training on Dec. 31, 2009. Pearce suffered traumatic brain injuries but has since recovered and returned to riding on snow last month.
The Canadian freestyle team sent a Twitter message Tuesday afternoon saying Burke, from Squamish, B.C., had a “serious injury.” A spokesperson for the Canadian Freestyle Association said there was no additional information yet on her injury.
Burke’s husband, Rory Bushfield, also put out a message on Twitter seeking someone with a private jet who might help him and Burke’s mother expedite a trip from Vancouver to Salt Lake City.
ESPN:
Burke is the defending Winter X Games Women’s Ski SuperPipe champion, having won eight medals (four of them gold) in Winter X SuperPipe contests throughout her career.
The Canadian freestyle team sent a Twitter message Tuesday afternoon saying Burke had a “serious injury.”
A pioneer in women’s freeskiing since 2000, Burke has won an ESPY award for best female action sports athlete and she was the first female skier to land a 1080 in competition.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Burke said, “Sometimes I do wonder why I am still [competing]. But the fact is I still really, really love it. I love skiing, and I got a taste for the top when I was young and don’t want to let it go.”
As of late Tuesday, Burke’s husband, skier Rory Bushfield, and Burke’s mother were looking to arrange travel to Salt Lake City.
“Sarah is a very, very strong human and she will be fine,” Bushfield said.
Burke, a native of Midland, Ont., is a pioneer in women’s freestyle skiing and a trailblazer in getting women’s ski superpipe into the X Games, at which she is a four-time winner.
She was also instrumental in getting the superpipe into the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where she is expected to contend for a gold medal if she is healthy.
Photo: Facebook
According to her Facebook page, which was flooded with well wishes from her fans, Burke was the first competitive female freestyle skier. Several people sent their best wishes to Burke on her Twitter feed, @sarah_j_burke, including Emily Cook, an America freestyle aerialist who lives in Park City, and Elena Hight, an American Olympic snowboarder.
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All American American
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:05pmThis is what happens when you create “X-treme” games for non-athletes cuz they can’t compete in regular sports. Then again if they weren’t doing “X-TREME” skiing I guess they’d be toking out back of the local 7-11.
Report Post »Yeah_Buddy
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 12:45pmI hope she makes a full recovery.
I would have advised her to scrap extreme skiing after her spinal injury and pursue a safer and probably just as lucrative modeling/spokesperson career.
Report Post »Kiba
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 5:47pmOh enough already! OK you all broke me down, she is a wonderfull human, or homoerectus, or two legged slope scraper. I hope this strong humanoid will be OK . Speaking for myself I dont know what kind of life I would have if I couldnt watch some pretty person flying down a mountain @ 75 m.p.h. every now and then.
Report Post »Atomic
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:52pmTerrible news… She’s in my prayers.
Report Post »ROMANS 10-9
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:18pm.
Under ObamaCare
Snow Skiing will be outlawed
as a health care COST REDUCTION…
Vote Santorum!
Report Post »Balthazor
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:14pmVote for Ron Paul, he’s the only candidate who will prevent skiing accidents!!!
Report Post »gemmeri
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 2:00pmIf you push the limits, sometimes they push you down. You play & then you pay. I am truly sorry this individual was hurt doing what she loves, but lots of individuals have been hurt or killed in downhill skiing sports. Maybe you downhill skiiers should re-think your goals. It’s not worth the risk. Cross-country skiing can be more challenging in its way & one covers more ground & sees more scenery in the process.
Report Post »lwnmwrmn
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 2:18pmBoring with a capital B
Report Post »Kuckledraggers unite!!!
Mrs. Evil
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:57pmAny condition updates?
Report Post »Guerrino_P
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:29pm@grandmaof5 and C. Schwehr
As an informed American, not all of us are as ignorant as the both of you are. There’s a big world outside the trailer park folks. Learn something.
Report Post »Ynnis Glytyr
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:22pm@KeithOlberdink…..hihihi, unless you were talking about being a DUAL citizen – let me ask you…what is a duel citizen?
Report Post »Hope Sarah Burke recovers quick and to the fullest, but maybe she should reconsider her profession. After all, it wasn’t the first time she got seriously injured in one of her skiing stunts. Maybe she’s just getting too “old” for this sport. I mean, she has a hubby and obviously parents – I don’t think they like the idea of picking up her pieces off the slope, because she had another accident. Sometimes it is better to put sense before pride and ambitions. Get well soon, Sarah!
Kiba
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:35pmThe DEVO song in the video is cool, “Girl You Want”. Well I feel for this chick but when a perfectly healthy human being decides to go flying off rock cliffs at high speeds on a pair of skis and speeding down-hill dodging trees and such eventually the numbers will catch-up to you. How lucky do people think they can be and for just how long? I am very sorry for what happened to this young pretty girl but Im not surprised one bit that something like this could happen to her because its just a matter of time and luck. I hope that she comes out of it and heals up as fast and good as medicially possible in this age but I certainly hope she doesnt want to get back out there and start doing it all again. And I also feel that to a certain point like when you almost lose your life you should think of how your family would feel and get by with any sense of normality with you being just a memory to them.
Report Post »freeweever
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:58amWhat a beautiful young Lady and an even better human being :( This breaks my heart how some of the best of us all have to go thru this kind of pain but if it wasn’t for them“Sarah Burke” we wouldn’t know what it was like to climb the highest mountains and soar down them with angelic style and fluidity to bring us all“Human Beings” to another level of wonder and amazement called “EXCELL”.
Report Post »Kiba
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 5:01pmUuuhhhh yea…….really angelic (I feel like I should use a cap on that one)…flying like a bird….a free bird…untill it all comes crashing down and your laying there all full of stiches and wondering if you
Report Post »ll survive another day. I sorry and the girl is young and pretty and all but Im just not into controlled suicide, if God meant for us to go that fast he would have put a motor on our head and stuck a tail-pipe up our rear-ends. Just one mans opinion.
mils
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:19amSarah is a world champion and was also instrumental in getting the superpipe into the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi
Report Post »…she‘s a pioneer in women’s skiing events, many awards, opened many doors.
Praying for her full recovery. Great athlete..
churchdog
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:34amWho says about his wife, “She is a very strong human?” That’s odd. Not “woman” or “lady” or even “person.” This guy sounds really compassionate.
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:54amBeautiful lady…too bad she feels like she has to go to extremely dangerous lengths for her sport….hope she recovers quickly.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:03am@churchdog, i wouldnt read too much into that. I suspect he was trying to convey that she was one of the strongest people he knew. Either man OR woman. While it was a strange term to use, (“Person” would’ve sounded more natural) we have no reason to question his love for her.
Report Post »may40
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:43amPoor girl. In my prayers.
Report Post »cranberry
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:04amI hope she will get better so she can get back to doing what she loves. Seems like a happy girl. I want her wool hat!
Report Post »ThoreauHD
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:49amDo you think Canadians pray for Americans when they’re in a coma? Just asking.
Report Post »txn4justice
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:27amChristians pray for people regardless of nationality.
Report Post »Coralchristie
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:51amTrite thought.
Report Post »KeithOlberdink
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:50amI do. I’m duel citizen :)
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:53amcanadaiens now view the BIBLE as hate speech……canada is a true socialist country
Report Post »WhimsyB
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:17amWe Canadians have a lot more in common with Americans than any other country on the face of this planet….just thought I’d put that out there. Have a look at recent policies brought about by our new conservative majority government and you’ll see things are changing. Slowly, but we have a long way to go from the Trudeau indoctrination that took hold in the 60‘s and 70’s. You guys have your Trudeau right now in the name of Barack Obama….
My prayers go out to this young woman and her family. (my Christian prayers)
Report Post »WhimsyB
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:21amRe your comment about Canadians viewing the Bible as hate speech…..thanks for lumping ALL of us in that category. That’s like saying all Americans love having Barack Obama as their president. Gimme a break.
There may be a few bureaucrats and far-left nitwits who make the news with this view, but believe me, things are changing up here. We are fighting back.
Report Post »Canuck GB Fan
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:37amFor me as a Christian, nationality has nothing to do with it. We aren’t all anti-American liberals! how do you think we elected a “more to the right” government?? And by a majority this time, I might add.
Report Post »Alexandra1214
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:10pmThat’s kind of a strange thing to say … I have many Canadian Cousins & friends and we Always say prayers for each other …. Humans are Humans …. My heartfelt Prayers go out for her and her family …. Amen!!!
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:18pmYes. Just answering.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:24am.
Doctor buddy of mine call’s crashes like that SSS Sudden Stop Syndrome. Could happen to any of us, he say‘s a 3’ fall at home can do it.
If they can control the pressure, she might be OK….Be Strong Girl……..
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:40amYes I had a girlfriend several years ago that got SSS. She recovered, but never was the same. It completely changed her personality. If the frontal lobe strikes the inside of the skull. The inside of the skull has spikes, hence sometimes a brain change.
I will be praying for her. She is a fantastic athelete.
Report Post »txn4justice
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:50amPrayers for her; everyone.
Report Post »Observer500
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:13amHow sad this tragedy is. She seems like a nice girl.
She’ll be in my prayers.
Report Post »padraicohare
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:07amIt’d be a waste if she were to die over doing something stupid but hey, it’s what she loved doing right?
Report Post »mwhaley
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:47amGo out with your boots on!
Report Post »pavnvet
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:09amWhy was this stupid? Is it because you don’t understand that some people love what they do? Everyone that participates in sports knows there are risks of injury. As a person that skied often, I understood that sometimes people are hurt and some even die. It is risk versus reward. The reward outweighed the risk for this young lady. You should pray for her, instead of criticizing her free choice
Report Post »Krazy_Kreepy_Ketchup
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:04amShe is in my prayers. Someone that a youngster could look up to. God bless her.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:13amShe and her family will definitely be in my prayers. It is very fortunate this happened in the U.S. and not Canada as Natasha Richardson’s family will attest. Everytime I see “The Parent Trap”, I think of the nightmare her family must have gone through in Canada, and ultimately lost her, while she probably would have recovered had she been treated in the states.
Report Post »TerryDo
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:07am@ grandmaof5
Ignorance must be bliss in non-factural world.
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:00amTERRYDO: It is a fact that Ms. Richardson‘s head injury would have been treated about NINE HOURS earlier if she’d been skiing in the U.S. The delay in gettng her to a hospital with adequate facilities for treatment (not in Canada) was the underlying reason for her death. When I read that fact, I grieved for her husband and children who lost a wife and mother needlessly…just as the Canadian “healthcare” system kills thousands in the same way each year….waiting too long for treatment and dying in the process…
Report Post »saranda
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 2:04pm@C. Schwehr – the underlying reason for Ms. Richardsons death was not wearing a helmet while skiing and not recognizing that any head trauma requires medical attention, not waiting for the headaches as was done in this case. Blaming the Canadian medical system is naive and ill informed.
Report Post »justanaveragewhiteguy
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 6:09amPraying for her and her family, may God bless them.
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:45amThank God she was here in the US and not in Canada. She may actually get a good fighting chance at a real recovery. She’ll be in our prayers.
Report Post »Godfather.1
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 5:23amYeah, because Canada has horrible medical care.
Report Post »crackerone
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:11amAmericans will be wishing for Cuba’s healthcare system before B O gets done!
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:01amCRACKERONE: The U.S. will HAVE Cuba’s “healthcare” system before Barry is done!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:20amChoices do have Consequences.
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:33amLuke:
Report Post »I’m with you. Every time I read about someone being injured while engaged in ‘extreme’ sports, I ask myself ‘Where’s the story here?’. These things are not ‘accidents’. People are very deliberately placing themselves at risk, usually because they are ego-driven, and then using up emergency service resources and medical resources which might be put to use for others.
I am certainly sorry that she is injured, but if you play with fire, don’t come to me for sympathy if you get burned.
nuttyvet
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 3:58amA hot chick with serious cajones – speedy recovery!!!
Report Post »unpata
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 2:59amMan what can I say…wish I had a private jet to help the family get to her as quickly as posssible
Report Post »Utahcatholic
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 6:39pmCan’t understand why they need a private jet. Just go online and book the next available commercial flight.
Report Post »ronaldreaganthegreat
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 2:03amHope shes ok. What an athlete!!!!
Report Post »On The Bayou
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 7:06amAnd a very nice rack.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:41am@on the Bayou…You are a sick human being. She is in the hospital in a coma.
Report Post »NoNannyState4me
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:58amNIce ABS too. And legs. Hope she recovers, SkiTV needs her.
http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/676/003/3sarahburke_display_image.jpg?1296408764
Report Post »On The Bayou
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:21amBADDOGGY I didn`t include the slut picture of her showing of her body, with most of her chest exposed shin tight pants with her legs gapped open. Why do they need that picture in this article if she in a coma? They posted the photo and I noticed it. Get over it.
Report Post »