Terrifying moment mogul skier gets knocked out cold on a jump before his limp body slid down the hill face first – but he’s conscious and says he’s ‘OK’
- Team USA moguls skier George McQuinn has regained consciousness following a terrifying crash in Utah on Thursday when he hit the back of his head on a ramp
- McQuinn, a Colorado native, on Instagram: ‘Gnarly crash today but I’m OK’
- He was attempting his second and final jump during an FIS World Cup event, but as he was rotating into a back flip, the his head smacked into the ramp
- From there, McQuinn’s limp body slid down the remainder of the hill face first
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Team USA moguls skier George McQuinn has regained consciousness following a terrifying crash in Park City, Utah on Thursday when he hit the back of his head on a ramp during competition and was rushed to the hospital.
‘Gnarly crash today but I’m OK,’ he wrote on Instagram following the crash alongside a photograph, showing the cuts and bruises on his face.
The Colorado native was attempting his second and final jump during an FIS World Cup event, but as he was rotating into a back flip, the his head smacked into the ramp, immediately knocking him unconscious.
From there, McQuinn’s limp body slid down the remainder of the hill face first as onlookers gasped and called for help.
‘OK, we’re going to need ski patrol please,’ one official can be heard saying after the crash.
George McQuinn of Team USA crashes during his run in the Men’s Mogul Finals during the Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Ski World Cup at Deer Valley Resort
McQuinn had already qualified for the US Olympic team before Thursday’s spill
McQuinn lost his sunglasses on the way down and scraped his face on the snow and ice
McQuinn’s limp body slid down the rest of the hill as onlookers gasped and called for help
McQuinn clearly had no control over his body as he slid down the hill after his failed jump
‘Gnarly crash today but I’m OK,’ McQuinn (left, right) wrote on Instagram following the crash alongside a photograph, showing the cuts and bruises on his face. (Right) McQuinn is seen on a more successful run earlier in the day
As reported by The Salt Lake Tribune, McQuinn was quickly stabilized by Team USA medics and placed on a backboard before being towed down the remainder of the hill by a snowmobile.
McQuinn was the only member of the US team to reach the final in Thursday’s moguls races in Park City. The event serves as Team USA’s Olympic qualifier, and McQuinn has already made the team with the third-highest score in the six-man super final.
Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury ultimately won the event after a 15-minute delay and dedicated the run to McQuinn.
‘This one is for him,’ Kingsbury said after his 100th career podium finish. ‘I know this was his first super final. He’s an exciting skier with a bright future. I just hope he’s OK and we get to ski in a super final in the future together.’
Kingsbury pointed to some difficult weather conditions in Park City, where it was unseasonably warm on Thursday.
‘It was not easy,’ he said. ‘With the weather, obviously it was getting darker. And since it was warm this afternoon, the snow started to crisp. So it gets harder and it’s faster for your feet. And with that happening, yeah, you’ve got to breathe and kind of de-connect the fact that, you know, a guy that you know hurt himself bad. You’ve got to focus on staying in the present moment.
‘I hope he is OK,’ he said of McQuinn.
George McQuinn is checked on after a crash during his run for the Men’s Mogul Finals
Paramedics gather around McQuinn who still appeared to be unconscious after the fall
Paramedics begin unfastening McQuinn’s equipment before taking him to the hospital
McQuinn is placed on a stretcher after a crash during his run for the Men’s Mogul Finals
McQuinn is taken off the course on a sleigh following his terrifying crash on Thursday
Eventually McQuinn’s sleigh was hooked up to a snowmobile, which brought him to a hospital
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