(Reuters) - Swiss skier Marc Gisin was airlifted to hospital after a dramatic crash in the men's World Cup downhill race in the Italian resort of Val Gardena on Saturday.
Gisin, travelling at around 120 kilometres an hour, lost control on one of the race's biggest jumps, flew through the air, landed on his side and then slid further down the course before eventually coming to a halt.
The 30-year-old was knocked unconscious and was taken to hospital in Bolzano by helicopter while the race was interrupted for around half an hour.
The Swiss skiing team said he was stable and would be flown back to Switzerland later on Saturday for further evaluations.
Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde won the race ahead of Austria's Max Franz with Swiss Beat Feuz in third.
"That was one of the worst places for it to happen," Feuz told Swiss television. "My run was okay but I cannot be so happy about it."
Gisin also suffered a serious crash in the super-G in Kitzbuehel three years ago which forced him to miss the rest of that season.