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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 2:11 a.m., Friday, January 23, 2009

Skiing: Albrecht stable a day after ugly crash

Associated Press

INNSBRUCK, Austria — Swiss skier Daniel Albrecht was in stable condition at a hospital in Innsbruck on Friday, a day after being placed in an induced coma following a downhill training crash.

"Daniel had a quiet night and all vital functions were stable," Swiss team doctor Dr. Jacques Menetrey said.

Albrecht remained in the induced coma and it was not clear if doctors planned to wake him up later Friday.

"Daniel is now the medical responsibility of the doctors in Innsbruck," Menetrey said. "They are doing further examinations and will decide what's best to do."

Menetrey said it was too early to assess Albrecht's chances for a full recovery.

"With this kind of (brain) injuries, it needs a couple of days before you can judge that," Menetrey said. "But all vital parameters are stable now and that's the best we could hope for."

The hospital was expected to give more details at a news conference later Friday.

Albrecht lost control after flying through the air for over 40 yards, landed on his back and came to a stop near the finish line at Thursday's World Cup downhill training on the infamous Streif course in Kitzbuehel.

He lost consciousness and received medical attention for about 20 minutes before being taken by helicopter to a hospital in nearby St. Johann. He was later transported to the hospital in Innsbruck.

The 25-year-old is the reigning super-combined world champion and has four career World Cup victories — three in giant slalom and one in super-combi. He has two GS wins this season, at Soelden, Austria, and Alta Badia, Italy, and is eighth in the overall World Cup standings.