Australian downhill skier AJ Bear has suffered a season-ending injury for the second year in a row, blowing out his knee in a high speed crash in the Italian resort of Val Gardena.

Competing in a super G race, Bear attempted to jump a series of three rolling bumps know as the camel bumps, but landed on the back-side of the second one, compressing his knee and suffering what appears to be extensive damage.

"At this stage it looks like he has definitely done his anterior cruciate ligament, and the x ray show some bone fragments which indicate that the ligament may have pulled off the top of the femur," said Skiing Australia/New South Wales Institute of Sport coach Michael Branch.

"The tests that the US team doctor has done are not good, but we won't know the extent of the damage until we get him home to Australia and get an MRI."

"It's such a shame because he had come back so strongly and was skiing so well."

Bear had crashed in a downhill race in Bormio in January of this year, sustaining a broken arm and ending his 2002/2003 World Cup season.

The Olympic Winter Institute skier made successful comeback to competition in Canada in November, and has produced three top 30 placings - the result that denotes membership of the top echelon of racers - in the five events he has contested this season.

In downhill training yesterday he finished in 22nd place, a result that would have given him the advantage of a number nine start position in tomorrow's downhill.

Following the crash, Bear was transported by helicopter to hospital in the neighbouring town of Brixens where x-rays were taken.

He is expected to fly out of Italy for Sydney on Monday morning, Australian time.

In the only good news for the Australian team, team-mate Craig Bracnh finished in 37th place, a personal best.

Courtesy Sportcom / www.owia.org