Moguls medallist Matt Graham is racing the clock to recover in time for the world championships after a heavy fall at the World Cup Finals in Livigno, which will host next year's Olympic Games.
The three-time Olympian, who won silver in 2018 in PyeongChang, crashed while competing in the medal round at the resort in the Italian alps, with the last event on the world cup calender doubling as a Games test event.
The 30-year-old from the NSW central coast had been in impressive form, qualifying through the first round of the 30-skier field in third place, and then reaching the top-six super final.
But, moving through the bumps in the middle of the course, his skis crossed and he plunged head-first into the moguls.
Graham was able to regather his skis and make it to the bottom of the run but was taken hospital with deep bruising, which ruled him out of the dual moguls event.
It's a blow for Graham, who still finished third in the overall World Cup season standings, behind Canadian great Mikael Kingsbury and Japan's Ikuma Horishima, who won the event.
American Jaelin Kauf won gold in the women's event in Livigno and also topped the overall standings.
With Australia's Olympic moguls champion Jakara Anthony sidelined after fracturing her collarbone late last year, Graham is still hopeful of competing in the world championships in Switzerland's St Moritz, with qualifying on March 18.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Wilson has become the first Australian freestyle skier ever to win the FISA rookie of the year award.
Competing in her first full world cup season, the 20-year-old from Jindabyne lined up for six starts and made it out of qualifying five times, also reaching two top-six super finals.
"I was really looking forward to the World Cup but I didn't have many expectations," said Wilson in Livigno.
"It's the most consistent season I've had and knowing I can put run after run down and still improve my skiing is a satisfying feeling."
