Alcott impresses at 2010 Winter Games

British skier Chemmy Alcott is recovering from surgery on a broken leg after crashing at high speed during downhill practice in Canada.

She landed badly after a jump on the Lake Louise World Cup course and could now miss the rest of the season.

She was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Banff.

Alcott said on Twitter: "Thank you everyone for everything. Insane that something that brings you so much pleasure can also bring so much pain."

Starting from 50th position, Alcott went airborne over the first jump and never regained her balance in the tricky Coaches Corner section of the course.

She landed heavily and slid down the mountain without her skis and poles before coming to a stop.

Alcott crashed at high speed on a jump in the tricky Coaches Corner section

British Ski and Snowboard chief executive Dave Edwards said he did not know the extent of the injury or how successful the operation had been.

He said: "Chemmy is a great athlete and has worked very hard to be ready for the World Cup season, so missing it will be a big blow. Naturally, we wish her all the best and hope that she makes a rapid and complete recovery."

Organisers added that Alcott, 28, never lost consciousness, had good sensations in her legs and "good feeling and good pulse".

"It was brutal and the impact was serious. She broke her shin and another bone could be fractured in her right leg," said race director John Cassel.

Her best friend on the circuit, America's Julia Mancuso, went to hospital with her.

She said on Twitter: "Chemmy's all fixed up, and doing well."

Alcott, who trains with the Canadian team, finished 27th in her first World Cup race of the 2010/2011 season, a giant slalom in Soelden in Austria.

The three-time Olympian equalled her best Games placing after finishing 11th in the super-combined in Vancouver 2010.

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