Last winter, the Swiss Camille Rast finally established herself at the top of the world in alpine skiing: The 26-year-old celebrated her first two World Cup victories in the slaloms in Killington and Flachau, finished sixth in the battle for the yellow jersey and crowned her strong season with a world championship title when she secured the gold medal in the slalom in Saalbach. The only thing that prevented Rast from winning the discipline ranking in the slalom was a serious fall in February in Sestriere – the consequences of which continue to affect Rast.
On Saturday in Levi, Finland, a slalom was on the program for the women of the alpine skiing circus this winter. From a German point of view, an absolute highlight, because Emma Aicher finished third on the podium for the first time in this discipline, while Lena Dürr impressed with fourth place. The Swiss Camille Rast is probably less satisfied, but when it comes to her health, the Swiss’s rather average performance (15th place) is put into perspective.
“Unfortunately, I have pain every day,” Rast recently told “Blick” and emphasized that the consequences of the fall in Sestriere will probably be with her for several months or even years.
“We never know how the hip will react,” said the ski star: “I have to be patient and keep working – I can’t do anything else.”
“The injury evolves and is never the same”
Although Rast did not tear any ligaments in Sestriere and fortunately his bones remained intact, his physiotherapist confirmed shortly after the accident that the fall had treacherous consequences: “One part of the body stuck to the snow and the other continued to slide. There was friction between two muscle groups, which is very painful. We have had to have fluid removed from the area twice because the body cannot absorb it,” Florian Lorimier explained at the time.
Particularly problematic: Even today, Rast never knows exactly how her body will react to the long-term effects: “The injury develops and is never the same. I just have to be careful and everything will be fine.”