Canadian Skier in Critical Condition

Updated: Friday, 13 Jan 2012, 8:01 PM CST
Published : Friday, 13 Jan 2012, 8:00 PM CST

(NewsCore) - Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke remained in critical condition Friday following a crash during training in Park City, Utah, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The trailblazing 29-year-old -- a gold medal hopeful for the 2014 Olympics -- was preparing for this month's 2012 X Games when she crashed Tuesday during a run on the resort's Eagle Superpipe.

Burke had surgery Wednesday afternoon at Salt Lake City's University Hospital to repair a tear to a vertebral artery that caused bleeding in her brain.

"Sarah remains in critical condition in the Neuro Critical Care Unit," neurointensivist Safdar Ansari said Friday.

"With traumatic brain injury, our care is focused on addressing the primary injury and preventing secondary brain damage, as well as managing other injuries sustained at the time of the accident; all of which requires close monitoring and intensive care. At this moment, Sarah needs more time before any prognosis can be determined."

A news conference is scheduled for Monday to further discuss her condition.

It remained unclear exactly how Burke was injured, but media reports said she fell while attempting a landing and it was the same superpipe where American Kevin Pearce crashed in training in 2009, suffering severe head injuries which put him out of action until 2011.