Snowboarder McMorris hurt badly in fall
VANCOUVER An accident on a jump “well within his skill level” in British Columbia’s backcountry has left Canadian snowboarding star Mark McMorris with serious injuries.
A medal favourite at next year’s Winter Olympics, McMorris is recovering in a Vancouver hospital from a broken jaw, broken left arm, ruptured spleen, stable pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a collapsed left lung.
McMorris, his brother Craig and a few friends travelled into the backcountry by snowmobile near Whistler, B.C., to build the jump on Saturday, Canada Snowboard executive director Patrick Jarvis told The Canadian Press in a phone interview Monday.
“From what we’re told it was a jump that was well within his skill level, which is undoubtedly one of the best in the world,” said Jarvis. “(McMorris) just happened to be in some flat light, misjudged his approach, and that’s resulted in the accident.”
Jarvis, who hasn’t spoken to McMorris directly, said he doesn’t know how long it took to get the 23-year-old Regina native off the mountain.
McMorris was airlifted from Whistler to Vancouver General Hospital.
Fans of backcountry skiing and snowboarding seek out fresh fallen snow on unmarked and ungroomed slopes in remote areas that usually aren’t maintained and patrolled by the personnel seen at traditional resorts.
“When I was contacted, first thought was of course his personal well-being,” said Jarvis. “It’s the nature of the sport. It is action sport with inherent risk. I was obviously very concerned about him and his family.
“We’re certainly in a good place right now that it’s not life threatening. Bad luck, good luck, no one really knows.”
McMorris, who won Olympic slopestyle bronze in 2014 while competing with a broken rib, underwent two surgeries over the weekend to control bleeding and to repair the jaw and arm fractures.