World champion ski jumper Alex Loutitt is finding some positives during her recovery journey from a serious knee injury. The 21-year-old athlete from Calgary, who made history as the first Canadian to claim a world title in women’s large hill skiing in 2023, suffered a torn ACL in her left knee during a September event in Predazzo, Italy, which was a test event for the upcoming Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina.
As a result of her injury, Loutitt will not be participating in the Olympic Games in February, and she acknowledges that it will be about a year before she can return to competing. Currently rehabilitating at Red Bull’s Athlete Performance Center in Salzburg, Austria, Loutitt mentioned that she had previous knowledge of weakness in her knee from a surgery in 2022 and that the unfortunate incident occurred during a jump on plastic-coated turf, common during the summer Grand Prix season.
Following her injury, Loutitt underwent surgery in Innsbruck, Austria, performed by specialist Dr. Christian Fink. Despite the setback in her Olympic aspirations, Loutitt expressed gratitude for the emotional support and physical rehabilitation provided at the Athlete Performance Center, which has helped her cope with the dashed dream of the 2026 Olympics.
Her daily routine now involves various therapies and treatments such as water therapy, anti-gravity treadmills, hyperbaric chambers, and electromagnetic pulse and electrical stimulation devices. Loutitt also mentioned that her ADHD diagnosis at age 18 is considered in her therapy sessions, which are structured to accommodate her needs.
Although not being able to compete in the upcoming Olympics is disappointing for Loutitt, she remains positive and plans to be present in Predazzo to support the Canadian team and her Austrian boyfriend, Daniel Tschofenig. She sees this period as an opportunity to explore new roles and support her loved ones, emphasizing the importance of showing up for those who matter most during challenging times.
