GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: Czech skier Tereza Nova, 26, has been put into an induced coma after suffering a heavy fall during World Cup downhill training at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Czech ski federation announced today.

“Tereza Nova has been placed in an induced coma following her fall during downhill training yesterday (Friday) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. She underwent surgery to reduce brain swelling at the Murnau hospital and will remain in a medically induced coma for as long as the medical team deems necessary”, said the federation.

Nova’s compatriot Ester Ledecka, the Olympic skiing super-G and snowboard parallel giant slalom champion in Pyeongchang in 2018, did not take the start of today’s downhill event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, won by Italy’s Federica Brignone.

“We are all thinking of Tereza and wish her a speedy recovery and lots of strength,” an association spokesman told the Czech newspaper Sport.

The serious injury to Nova is part of a spate of falls which have rocked alpine skiing in recent weeks.

In the women’s downhill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Austrian Nina Ortlieb fractured her right leg in a high speed crash.

While in the men’s events in Kitzbuehel, Austria, yesterday, French pair Alexis Pinturault and Florian Loriot and Italy’s Dominik Paris had to be airlifted off the slopes after crashes.

On Dec 27, defending Kitzbuehel downhill champion Cyprien Sarrazin of France had his season cut short after undergoing surgery to treat internal bleeding in his head following a harrowing accident in Bormio.