Gernot Reinstadler

Gernot Reinstadler (24 August 1970 – 19 January 1991) was an Austrian ski racer. He was regarded as among the most promising young talents of the Austrian downhill team of the early 1990s.

Death

During training for the Lauberhorn race, while entering the finish S (German: Ziel-S), Reinstadler lost control and crashed into safety nets at full speed, where one of his skis became trapped. Reinstadler suffered a pelvic fracture and severe internal injuries as his organs bled out onto the slope.[1]

He died later the same night at a hospital in Interlaken, even after undergoing several blood transfusions.[2]

Following Reinstadler's death, the 1991 Lauberhorn race was canceled. One of the results of this incident was increased safety for future generations, with the holes in safety nets being shrunk so ski tips could no longer become so easily entangled upon impact.[3]

References
  1. "Crash kills Austrian". The Record. 19 January 1991. dead link 20150216
  2. Whittell, Giles (17 January 2004). "From here it's all downhill". The Times. London. broken link 20150216
  3. "Death forces cancellation of races". Ocala Star-Banner. 20 January 1991.


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