Injury update: Winter out for the season with broken leg
Image: @waterski_nation
By Jack Burden
World champion Freddie Winter has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024 season after sustaining a serious leg injury in the final of the Monaco Slalom Cup. The British skier was chasing a high score set by his compatriot Will Asher when the accident occurred.
Following the incident, Winter shared on Instagram that he had “a significant broken leg bone, but [was] in good hands.”
Winter needed a complete pass at 10.25m (41’ off) to challenge Asher’s lead. He managed to clinch a runner-up placement with a score of 4 at the pass before an uncontrolled lean into 5 led to a collision with a nearby dock. An ambulance was called to transport Winter to a nearby hospital.
This incident underscores the challenges and dangers of shortline slalom. Just last weekend, Jonathan Travers almost suffered a similar fate when the rope caught on his ski during a fall, wrenching it from him. Travers was fortunate to escape with only bruising and rope burn.
Every athlete is pushing to the limit every weekend in one of the most competitive men’s slalom fields in the past decade. Unfortunately for Winter, his season is now over.
Doing his best to remain in good spirits, Winter shared, “Getting ready for Moomba 2025.”
