Swedish olympic Snowboarder Dies During Practice

http://www.comcast.net/ ^ | 3 12 06 | Associated Press

[freepatriot32]

WILMINGTON, N.Y. - Swedish snowboarder Jonatan Johansson died Sunday after falling during a snowboardcross run down Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks.

The 26-year-old Turin Olympics competitor lost control on one of his jumps during training for an International Ski Federation World Cup competition, according to U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Association spokesman Tom Kelly.

A state police report said Johansson tried to correct himself but landed hard. An autopsy found the cause of death to be multiple internal injuries.

Officials said Johansson landed within the course boundaries and was wearing a helmet. Olympic Regional Development Authority spokesman Sandy Caligiore said he did not hit a tree, a pole or any other obstacle. The course where Johansson crashed, the Boreen Trail, has special snowboardcross features constructed for competition.

Johansson was on a section of the trail by himself when he fell.

He was transported to Adirondack Medical Center in nearby Lake Placid, where he was pronounced dead, according to hospital spokeswoman Beth Donahue. An autopsy will be performed Monday at the medical facility's main center in Saranac Lake.

The Swede had been competing at the World Cup level since 2000. Johansson finished 12th in snowboardcross at Turin. He was ranked 45th in the World Cup standings this season.

Whiteface, down the road from Lake Placid, was hosting the four-day World Cup event. The rest of the snowboardcross event was canceled.

[freepatriot32]

Snowboarder Jonatan Johanasson of Sweden rides down the boreen run at Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, N.Y., Sunday, March 12, 2006 during a training run for the snowboardcross qualifications at the FIS Snowboard World Cup moments before a fatal accident on a jump lower in the course. Johanasson, who was wearing a helmet was attended to by course officials and ski patrol members before being transported to Adirondack Medical Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. were he was pronounced dead according to medical center authorities. The competition was cancelled after the accident. (AP Photo/Todd Bissonette)

[fieldmarshaldj]

Ugh. Poor guy. Gone too soon, may he rest in peace.

[ccmay]

To an Athlete Dying Young

by A. E. Housman (1859-1936)

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields were glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

[commish]

A tragic accident. Prayers for his family, friends and teammates.

Reports are he he just can off a jump wrong and then landed awkwardly and flipped a couple of times.

[barj]

He was lucky, in my opinion; he died doing what he loved.

[Dog Gone]

Must have been a heck of a wipeout. Most alpine accidents that are fatal involve hitting a tree or other obstruction.

Sad.

[Revolting cat!]

Snowboarding is an Olympic sport now? What isn't anymore?

[Joan912]

:( This makes me sad.

[Xenalyte]

Posting on FR, but look for that to change.

I can't stand what the Olympics have become. Haven't watched it in years. If you can't time it or score it objectively, it shouldn't be in the Olympics.

[KCRW]

This is so sad. Prayers for his family and friends.

Isn't this the new event that they added to this year's Olympics? I didn't realize it was so dangerous.

[It's me]

May his soul rest in peace.

My son just called me and said he was going snowboarding at 7:00pm. I hate to read things like this.

[ratzoe]

Thank you.

[beezdotcom]

If you can't time it or score it objectively, it shouldn't be in the Olympics.

I would toss out half-pipe for this reason - but snowboardcross might be worthy, since it's actually a race, and it was demonstrated objectively that hot-dogging can cause you to lose a gold medal.

I'm holding out hope that I could still make the Olympics - in curling. I've never done it, but I gotta believe that I can slide a rock, sweep a broom, and drink beer with the best of them...but to paraphrase Marx: "No sport should be in the Olympics that could have me as a participant."

[purpleland]

Thank you for posting Housman's poem.

---

To an Athlete Dying Young
by A. E. Housman (1859-1936)

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.


To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.


Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields were glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.


Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:


Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.


So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.


And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

---

[andysandmikesmom]

Very sad to hear of this...prayers for his family,and for him...

My younger son went up to the mountains today, to go snowboarding...I always worry when he goes snowboarding or skiing, as things can go wrong...I am always relieved when he returns home safely..

[Majie Purple]

How sad! Gone in an instant...

[BigSkyFreeper]

Snowboarding is an Olympic sport now? What isn't anymore?

Hide and seek. Although Monty Python did a really funny skit about that.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Tragic. Rest In Peace.

BTTT

[jocon307]

Nice of you to post that lovely poem. May this poor fellow RIP.