Canadian racer Emily Brydon’s surgery to repair two damaged ligaments and her medial meniscus was a success, according to team physician Dr. Bob Morrell.
The 20 year old from Fernie, a rookie on the World Cup circuit and one of Canada’s fastest rising stars, is expected to make a full recovery for next season and the Olympics in February, 2002.
Brydon crashed into the safety netting on the downhill course at St. Anton Austria during the recent world championships, tearing her medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments and meniscus. She flew back to Vancouver, where she underwent surgery by Dr. Pat McConkie at UBC. She has since returned to Calgary where she began her extensive rehabilitation immediately.
The accident is being blamed on a patch of soft snow left over from a snowstorm that delayed the competition for two days. The downhill course was closed for 20 minutes after the crash to allow course workers to try and fix the treacherous section, despite the fact that Brydon walked off the course on her own power.
In her first year on the circuit, Brydon has already made a name for herself with a bronze medal in Switzerland and numerous top 10 and top 15 finishes. At the time of the crash she was ranked 24 th in the World Cup overall standings.
