Two Swiss freestyle skiing stars will miss Monday's Big Air final after suffering injuries during training sessions.
Olympic slopestyle champion Mathilde Gremaud and teammate Anouk Andraska have both been forced to withdraw from the upcoming Big Air competition following crashes in practice. The double withdrawal is a significant blow to the Swiss freestyle team's medal hopes in the event.
Gremaud, who won Olympic gold in slopestyle, had been among the favorites for the Big Air final scheduled for Monday evening. The exact nature and severity of both athletes' injuries have not been disclosed at this time, though the training falls were serious enough to prevent their participation in the competition.
Swiss Freestyle Skiing Takes Double Hit
The simultaneous loss of two top competitors represents a challenging moment for Swiss freestyle skiing. Gremaud's absence is particularly notable given her Olympic pedigree and track record in major competitions. Andraska's withdrawal compounds the setback for the Swiss squad, which will now need to rely on its remaining athletes to carry the nation's hopes in the Big Air event.
Training crashes are an inherent risk in freestyle skiing, where athletes push the boundaries of aerial maneuvers while practicing increasingly complex tricks. Big Air competitions, which feature massive jumps and technical difficulty, require extensive preparation and carry heightened injury risks during the training phase.
Impact on Monday's Competition
The Big Air final will proceed as scheduled Monday evening, but the field will be missing two strong contenders. Both athletes will now focus on recovery, with their return timelines dependent on the assessment of their injuries in the coming days.
The Swiss team has not yet announced whether additional athletes will be called up or if the roster will compete with reduced numbers in the final.
