Australian Snowboarder Belle Brockhoff Undergoes Surgery After World Cup Crash

The three-time Olympian fractured her L1 vertebrae during a high-speed fall in Georgia but has no neurological damage.

Belle Brockhoff, a 32-year-old Australian snowboarder and three-time Olympian, suffered a serious back injury during a Snowboard Cross World Cup event in Gudauri, Georgia.
She was airlifted to a hospital in Tbilisi, where scans revealed a fracture of the L1 vertebrae, though no neurological damage was detected.
Brockhoff was subsequently evacuated to Greece for surgery, accompanied by a member of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia medical team and her partner.
The injury occurred during her final race of the day on Saturday, where she fell at high speed and landed on her coccyx.
Brockhoff, who has previously overcome significant injuries, was considered a strong contender for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, with her future participation to be reassessed following her recovery.