Teen skier from Germany dies after crashing during Nor-Am race at Lake Louise - Action News
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Teen skier from Germany dies after crashing during Nor-Am race at Lake Louise

A 17-year-old German skier has died after going off the course and into the safety netting while competing in a downhill event at the Nor-Am Cup in Lake Louise, Alta.

17-year-old German skier Max Burkhart was airlifted to hospital after going off course Tuesday afternoon

A 17-year-old ski racer from a club in Germany has died in a Calgary hospital after he was seriously injured during a Nor-Am Cup event in Lake Louise, Alta. In this photo, a Lake Louise guest host directs skiers off the mountain after a power failure before the women's World Cup downhill a few days earlier. Several women crashed during that event, including American Lindsey Vonn. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)

A 17-year-old German skier has died after a crash at Lake Louise Tuesday.

The teen, who has been identified by Alpine Canada asMax Burkhart,was competing inthe downhill event at the Nor-Am Cup when he went off the course and into the safety netting during anafternoon run.

Ski patrollers and EMS worked to stabilize the skier as a STARS air ambulance was dispatched to transport the teen to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary.

RCMPsay Burkhart succumbed to his injuries Wednesday in hospital.

'Tragic loss of life'

The North American Cup at Lake Louise is run by Alpine Canada, which is the national governing body for the sport.

"Alpine Canada and Alberta Alpine are devastated about this tragic loss of life and sends its deepest condolences tohis family and teammates,"Alpine Canada said in a release.

"Alpine Canada and Alberta Alpine encourage the ski family around the world to support the athletes' family and teammate through this difficult time."

Burkhart's death comes soon after another ski tragedy

The race was run on the same hill used for the first World Cup women's downhills of the season on Friday and Saturday that also produced several crashes, including one by American Lindsey Vonn, who careened into three sets of safety netting before coming to stop.

The most successful women's skier of all-time with 77 career wins, including 18 at the Canadian resort, laid motionless but eventually got up and skied to the bottom of the course uninjured.

Burkhart's death comes soon after another tragedy.

French downhiller David Poisson was killed in a training run crash at nearby Nakiska ski resort on Nov. 13 as he prepared for the first men's World Cup downhill of the season.

With files from Reuters