Hearts go out to injured champ
Squamish freestyle skier, 29, remains in critical condition in Utah hospital
Good wishes from around the world continue to flow in for injured Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke, who was in critical condition Thursday in a Utah hospital after a training accident Tuesday.
Burke, who specializes in the halfpipe, is originally from Ontario but has been living in Squamish. Her family is requesting privacy, but they’re encouraging people to post their comments on her Facebook site: www.facebook.com/pages/ Sarah-burke.
Comments there and on Twitter are from all around Canada, the U.S. and the world — including France, Sweden, Italy, Norway and Poland.
Even figures from other sports, such as Amar’e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks, have sent their regards, as has rocker Bif Naked of Vancouver.
Burke, 29, a pioneer in freestyle halfpipe and a former X Games champion, suffered a fall on the Park City Mountain Resort’s Eagle superpipe.
She underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a tear to her vertebral artery that resulted in an intracranial hemorrhage at the time of her fall.
Canadian Freestyle Ski Association CEO Peter Judge said he and his organization were in a state of shock when they got the news.
“Very much so,” Judge said. “Someone like her, someone who has always been a spokesperson for her sport and always out in front, you just don’t imagine those kind of
She never rested on her laurels. She was always willing to take the competition and make it about what she could do and not about beating other people. — Peter Judge, Canadian Freestyle Ski Association
things happening.”
Late Tuesday afternoon, Burke’s husband, Rory Bushfield, sent out a plea via Twitter, asking if there was anyone with a plane who could fly him and his mother-in-law to Salt Lake City.
Judge said the pair had found a late flight and went to Salt Lake City late Tuesday.
Burke is a four-time X Games champion. She has five World Cup victories, including two last March at La Plagne, France. She won the 2005 world championships at Ruka, Finland, and was fourth at the 2011 worlds at Park City.
Judge said she could be a medal contender in the Olympics. “No question,” he said. “It’s been hers to lose,” he continued, referring to competitions.
“She never rested on her laurels. She was always willing to take the competition and make it about what she could do and not about beating other people.
“From that point, it’s very sad. She would have been one of the frontrunners. It could still turn out and she could be fine. It’s all conjecture at this point.”
The rest of the Canadian freestyle team is training at Whistler. They are respecting the family’s wishes and also declining to comment.