Being in the mountains of Colorado, we get a chance to work with some of the top skiers and snowboarders in the world. And this weekend was especially action-packed, with the legendary Birds of Prey race here in our home area of Beaver Creek.
To top it off, the Women's Alpine Team was also racing up at Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada this weekend.
While this was happening, some of the dedicated VSON docs and staff who assist Team Summit Colorado made an appearance at their annual ball this weekend, helping Team Summit to raise over 100k to support their program.
Dr. Cunningham At Birds of Prey Race
VSON Docs were at both World Cup events, assisting the athletes in case of an emergency. On Saturday, Sports Medicine Specialist/Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Rick Cunningham was at Birds of Prey, which has become a marquee event on the men's World Cup Tour.
This year was particularly exciting because American Tommy Ford got the win, securing his first World Cup victory in front of a raucous crowd.
On Saturday, Dr. Cunningham took a quick moment to talk to our fantastic local TV Station about the event:
"Given how fast these guys go, you know the risks are very high. We've had the occasional injury here over the years, but by and large the crew does such a good job with netting and other safety measures— I think we give these racers the safest environment possible. -Dr. Rick Cunningham"
Watch the video below to see the full interview with Dr. Cunningham. To learn more about Dr. Cunningham, click here.
Dr. Sterett with U.S. Women in Lake Louise
Dr. Bill Sterett has been the Head Team Physician for the U.S. Women's Alpine Ski Team for over 20 years, and this weekend he was in Lake Louise, Alberta, with the team.
Lake Louise has long been the top stomping ground for Lindsey Vonn, who enjoyed immense success at the mountain, but with her retirement, the speed weekend was wide open.
With variable conditions and cold temperatures, it was a challenging course for the racers, and Dr. Sterett was there to assist, supervising after a scary crash:
"On and off snowfall throughout the race presented challenging conditions for the athletes, including AJ Hurt, who took a hard fall after catching her edge in the soft snow and was airlifted off the course." -usskiandsnowboard.org
Thanks for sharing some pics, Dr. Sterett! To learn more about Dr. Sterett, click here.
VSON Supporting Team Summit
One of the true gems of Summit County is Team Summit. Team Summit works with young skiers and snowboarders who are following their dreams to compete at the highest level. Providing expert coaching for both freestyle athletes as well as racers, Team Summit is a fantastic resource for local and national athletes alike.
Team Summit's motto is: 'whole athlete, whole team, whole community.'
Our own Dr. Erik Dorf is the Medical Director of Team Summit, volunteering his time to help support the youngsters with expert orthopaedic care.
Additionally, VSON Certified Athletic Trainers are often present on race days to spring into action if needed.
VSON & Avalanche PT Team members got a chance to attend the Team Summit annual gala and had a great time. Over 100k was raised to support the organization!
Thanks to everybody who contributed to the event. For more on Team Summit, click here.