A tweaked knee in training has prevented Craig Branch from adding to his World Cup points, the Perisher Blue skier going out early in the famed Bormio downhill over the weekend.

Branch landed awkwardly on a jump in his first training run on the Italian course, the impact of the flat landing leaving a painful knee joint.

“Bormio is considered one of the tougher courses on the circuit,” Branch said, “renowned for how icy and bumpy it is for the whole two minutes.”

“This makes it one of the most physically demanding courses and leaves you with barely enough energy to stay upright for the last 20 seconds.”

“I tried to put the pain in my knee aside today but it was too much to finish such a physically demanding course.”

“After three big jumps in the first 20 seconds with very heavy landings on rock-hard ice I missed a gate, mostly due to the pain in my knee.”

“It's been a very busy early season for me and I think it’s time to give my knee a break for a week or so and rest up before the next World Cup in Wengen.”

“It is a little disappointing, coming after my success in Val Gardena, but i know I'll be back ready to go early in the New Year.”

US skier Bode Miller, the 2005 overall World Cup champion, won the event, his first victory of the season.

Andreas Buder of Austria took the silver, with bronze going to Jan Hudec of Canada.

Switzerland’s Didier Cuche leads the World Cup standings after the first four events of the season,

The Wengen downhill will take place on January 9.

Courtesy OWI/Sportcom