Canadian ski cross racer Kevin Drury’s career came to an abrupt end following a crash during a World Cup event in Kopaonik, Serbia. The 37-year-old from Toronto had already planned for this season to be his last. The incident occurred during the big final of the event when Drury collided with Germany’s Florian Wilmsmann.
The crash unfolded as Wilmsmann and Reece Howden from Cultus Lake, B.C., tangled skis while vying for the lead early in the race. This initial collision caused Wilmsmann to fall, leading to Drury and Germany’s Tim Hronek crashing into him, preventing all three athletes from finishing the race.
Drury received a silver medal for his efforts, with Hronek and Wilmsmann earning gold and bronze, respectively. Howden, the sole racer to complete the event, was penalized for a line deviation upon review, resulting in a fourth-place finish.
Despite being tied with Wilmsmann at the time of the incident, Drury was awarded second place due to his higher ranking in the qualifying round. Drury’s current injuries remain undisclosed, but a photo posted by the Canadian depicts him in bed with his right leg wrapped in gauze from his lower thigh to his foot, accompanied by a message expressing his disappointment at the end of his career.
In a heartfelt gesture, Hronek dedicated his victory to Drury, acknowledging the Canadian skier’s impending retirement. Wilmsmann also extended well wishes for Drury’s speedy recovery, emphasizing that the crash was an unfortunate racing incident that affected others involved.
On the women’s side, Ottawa’s Hannah Schmidt secured a fourth-place finish in the big final, while Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund emerged victorious, followed by French skiers Jade Grillet Aubert and Marielle Berger Sabbatel claiming silver and bronze, respectively.
