LIVIGNO, Italy — Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris withdrew from Thursday night’s big air qualifier at the Milan Cortina Olympics less than 24 hours after a hard crash that resulted in a brief trip to the hospital.
“Unfortunately, I hurt my head and will not be able to compete in the big air tonight,” McMorris said. Posted on InstagramSaying that he will be ready to go in the slopestyle competition starting on February 16.
“Just trying to stay positive and focus on that event,” McMorris said. “Many thanks to the incredible medical staff who took such great care of me and also to everyone who reached out with so much love and support.”
McMorris, 32, is one of Canada’s biggest Olympic stars, with three of his Games bronze medals coming in slopestyle. He also has a record 22 X Games medals, 12 of them gold (eight slopestyle, four big air).
Replacing McMorris on the starting list is Val Guselli, normally a halfpipe rider who competes for Australia.
Canadian snowboard official Brendan Matthews, who witnessed the leak, said McMorris was “immediately” released from hospital after being taken off the hill on a stretcher on Wednesday night. Matthews called loading the rider on a stretcher after a crash as standard protocol.
“It’s always scary when someone has a bad fall like this, but it’s good news all things considered,” Matthews said.
In big air, riders perform four, five or more spins after descending a ramp built on scaffolding more than 50 meters (165 ft) high at Livigno.
McMorris told his Instagram followers that he appreciated the increased concern since news of his accident broke.
“I’m not on my phone much but messages don’t go unnoticed,” he said.
