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Matthias Lanzinger

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Matthias Lanzinger

Medal record
Men’s alpine skiing
Representing  Austria
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Europa Cup overall
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Sochi Super-G, standing
Silver medal – second place 2014 Sochi Combined, standing
IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2013 La Molina Super combined, standing
Silver medal – second place 2015 Panorama Downhill, standing
Silver medal – second place 2015 Panorama Super-G, standing
Bronze medal – third place 2013 La Molina Downhill, standing
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Panorama Giant slalom, standing

Matthias Lanzinger (born December 9, 1980) is an Austrian retired alpine skier from Abtenau, Salzburg.[1]

In 2000 he was the Junior World Champion, and took the overall Europa Cup title in 2004.[2] He finished third in the Super-G World Cup at Beaver Creek on December 1, 2005. This was his only podium in the World Cup. Following his accident and leg amputation, he became a Paralympian.

Leg amputation after fall

Matthias Lanzinger in the Super G event at the 2013 IPC Alpine World Championships

On Sunday March 2, 2008 during a World Cup Super-G run at Kvitfjell in Norway, Lanzinger crashed into a gate, tumbling down the steep slope. A contributing factor to the severity of the injury was the fact that the release mechanism on one of his ski bindings did not trigger immediately. The reason therefore was that his leg, already broken, did not provide the resistance needed to open the mechanism.[3][4] He sustained an open fracture of one leg. He was first transported off the slope using a sled, then flown using a private helicopter (quickly refitted to allow his transport) first to Lillehammer hospital where surgery was performed, then on to Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo by ambulance helicopter for a new surgery due to problems with the blood circulation in the leg. On Tuesday morning, after the third surgery, the second one for restoring blood circulation to his left leg, the doctors announced that it would have to be amputated below the knee.[5] After surgery by Dr. Thomas Hölzenbein, his condition was described as "stable", and it was affirmed that Lanzinger "could have died" without the amputation because the leg was virtually dead below the knee. The treatment of Lanzinger's injury during the first hours has been criticized,[6] and some comments have held that a better attention to the blood circulation in an early time could have saved Lanzinger's leg. The security of the slope in Kvitfjell has also been criticized.[7] The Austrian ski federation has stated that they will continue to support Lanzinger both personally and publicly.[8]

In 2010, the Norwegian patient advocacy found that Lanzinger had not received adequate treatment for his injuries, and was entitled to monetary compensation from Ullevål University Hospital.[9]

Paralympian

Upon leaving hospital after his amputation, Lanzinger initially intended to put an end to his skiing career, and studied marketing. He subsequently resumed training, however, with his coach Manuel Hujara, within the field of disabled sports.[10] He qualified as part of Austria's delegation to the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, to compete in Alpine skiing (in the standing category).[11] He took two silver medals at the Games in the Super G and the Combined. Lanzinger announced his retirement during the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships, where he took silver medals in the Downhill and Super G[12] and bronzes in the Giant Slalom[13] and Super Combined.[14]

Personal life

Lanzinger has been with his wife, Eva, since 1999. They have two children.

References

  1. ^ "Matthias Lanzinger: Mein zweites Leben" [Matthias Lanzinger: My Second Life]. ORF (in German). Radio Vorarlberg. Archived from the original on June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  2. ^ "Skier Matthias Lanzinger retires". espn.go.com. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Lanzinger breaks leg in crash during a men's World Cup super-G race". Associated Press. France: HighBeam Research. March 2, 2008. Archived from the original on May 26, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
  4. ^ Kvamme, Sigve (March 2, 2008). "Her kvester han beinet i Kvitfjell". Sport.no (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Dagbladet. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
  5. ^ "Bein von Lanzinger muss amputiert warden" [Leg had to be amputated for Lanzinger] (in German). Austria: ORF. March 4, 2008. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2008.
  6. ^ http://www.sport1.de/de/sport/artikel_2186295.html[permanent dead link] (German)
  7. ^ "Lanzinger stable after leg amputation". Reuters. March 4, 2008. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
  8. ^ "Lanzinger aus Tiefschlaf geholt". OESV. March 5, 2008. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
  9. ^ Linda Vespestad (June 9, 2010). "Lanzinger har krav på erstatning" [Lanzinger is entitled to compensation]. NRK. Archived from the original on November 15, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  10. ^ Matt Majendie (November 25, 2013). "Sochi 2014: Paralympian Matthias Lanzinger learns to ski again". CNN. Archived from the original on December 8, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  11. ^ "Austria announce 13 athletes for Sochi 2014 Paralympics". IPC. February 20, 2014. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  12. ^ "Lanzinger beendet nach Para-Ski-WM seine Karriere" [Lanzinger finishes his career after para-ski World Championships]. nachrichten.at (in German). 6 March 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  13. ^ "2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships: Men's Giant Slalom – Official Results". International Paralympic Committee. 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  14. ^ "2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships: Men's Super Combined – Official Results". International Paralympic Committee. 7 March 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
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