Slovakia's Vlhova airlifted to hospital after giant slalom fall

Slovak alpine skier Petra Vlhova was transported to hospital in a helicopter after suffering a fall in the first round of giant slalom at the World Cup in Jasna, Slovakia on Saturday.

The 2022 Winter Olympics gold medalist was in stable condition, her team said in a statement.

"She is undergoing a complex examination that will reveal the range of medical ailments," they said.

Vlhova, 28, won the world championship in giant slalom in 2019 and holds the record for the most wins in the World Cup by a Slovak in the sport.

She is the third notable alpine skier to be airlifted to hospital due to a fall this month, after France's Alexis Pinturault and Norway's Aleksander Kilde.