Australian Cross Country Ski Team member KT Calder will miss the entire Australian racing season due to a shoulder injury. Many readers will already have noticed her conspicuous absence from results lists this winter. Calder fell heavily from her mountain bike while training with Swiss Team members Serainer Mischol and Doris Trachsel in Davos in mid-July.

As well as collecting her fair share of bruises she tore several ligaments in her shoulder and spent a couple of days in the Davos hospital due to concussion. Originally she was to return to Australia in August to race in the Australian Championships and Kangaroo Hoppet, however now her arm is to remain in a sling for another month While this is a major setback for her 2006 Winter Olympic aspirations, Calder has already begun limited modified training for her upper body, and has been chalking up hours for her legs. She is expected to resume normal training mid-September, which still leaves her with two months before the opening distance World Cup races in Norway and Finland.

Courtesy the XC Files