UK No. 1 Skier in Horror Smash on the Slopes

PERTH, Scotland - Dec. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- One of the UK's top skiers has broken her back after a horror smash on the slopes. Charlie Guest, the UK's number 1 female alpine slalom skier, landed on a boulder while on a training session in Sweden and has been rushed to hospital with spinal injuries.

Originally from Perth, Charlie and her team feared that her injuries could be career ending or worse, but it appears Charlie has had a very lucky escape having fractured her vertebrae. If it hadn't been for a back protector that Charlie was wearing, the accident could have been devastatingly different.

Charlie hadn't been wearing her back protector very much in the lead up to the accident and it was her coach, Stefan Moser that persuaded her to wear the piece of kit that morning. Now back in the UK and being closely monitored by doctors and physios, Charlie's recovery looks to be a slow one with no concrete idea of when she will be fighting fit, but Charlie knows that she is very lucky to be alive with no permanent damage.

Charlie said:

"The accident happened in quite a remote area, so after 8 hours strapped down to a board and a 250km ambulance journey I was pretty terrified about how serious my injuries were. Whilst I'm devastated that I am going to have to take time out to recover, I realise how extremely lucky I am that my injuries are not more severe. I owe my coach Stefan the biggest thank you of my life for his insistence that I wear my back protector."

Stefan Moser, Charlie's coach, commented:

"Safety should come first, ahead of anything else and I began to insist that Charlie wore her back protector, no excuses. I saw Charlie's accident and I know she is very fortunate to be looking at a full recovery, even if it keeps her out of action for some time."

This was only the third time Charlie had worn her back support when Giant Slalom training, but now, after a major scare, she wants to see back protection become a compulsory safety requirement for all skiers across the disciplines.

Charlie added:

"This was a massive reality check for me. I won't be skiing again without wearing the correct safety gear. As someone who spends so much time dedicating myself to my sport, it is easy to forget just how dangerous skiing can be. It is so important to think about safety and I want to help other people avoid career-ending and even life threatening injuries. It could so easily have been a different story for me."

Statistically, the number of accidents on the ski slopes are low and serious injuries are rare. In Scotland, for every 1000 skiers out on the slopes, just over 2 people will sustain an injury that requires medical attention. The vast majority of fatal ski accidents, which are also incredibly unusual, are caused by head injuries. The most common injuries for all skiers, from novice to professional is to the ankle sprains or torn ligaments.

To find out more about Charlie and for regular updates on her progress visit www.charlieguest.com

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For further information contact Tricia Fox on 01738 658187 or mobile 07989 955039

Notes for Editors

Charlie is available for phone interviews upon request.