Soelden, Austria - Nicole Hosp of Austria is out for the Olympic ski season as she ruptured the cruciate ligament in her right knee in the World Cup opener on Saturday. The 2007 World Cup champion Hosp, 25, lost her balance halfway through the first run of the giant slalom event on the Soelden glacier.
She was airlifted to a hospital in Innsbruck where examinations revealed the grave nature of the injury and an operation was successfully carried out later in the day.
The Austrian Ski Federation (OeSV) said later in a statement that "the season is over" for Hosp.
It quoted doctor Cristian Hoser, who carried out the operation, as saying that the knee should heal "in or six months" and that Hosp will be able to continue her career.
Hosp said before being flown to the clinic: "I fell on my back and twisted my knee. I felt a sharp pain."
The injury came almost 10 months after she damaged her left knee ahead of a slalom in Zagreb which sidelined her for several weeks. Hosp said ahead of Saturday's race that she has fully overcome that injury.
Hosp's fate is the latest setback for the Austrian team which saw the retirement of Renate Goetschl and Hermann Maier in recent weeks. The season highlight are the Vancouver Olympics in February.
Hosp was the team's biggest hope for the women's overall World Cup title. She won the overall crown in 2007 and was a giant slalom world champion the same year. Hosp has 11 World Cup race victories.
