When 27-year-old French skier Ken Caillot suffered a horrifying crash on the Streif in Kitzbuehel on 21 January, fans and teammates feared for his life. Caillot lost control at high speed, was thrown into the air, and landed hard on his back. The fall was terrifying, but hours later, Caillot himself issued an update.

“This is a post to make sure I didn’t break anything. I got off incredibly lightly, just a big bruise on my back,” wrote Caillot on Instagram, to the relief of fans who flooded his comment section with well wishes.

Along with it, he shared a carousel of images, including ones of his airbag and a slightly cracked helmet, highlighting just how dangerous his accident could have been had it not been for his protective gear.

“I’d like to thank @daineseofficial for the airbag and @atomicski for the helmet; without them, the outcome wouldn’t have been the same. I have a little star watching over me,” he added.

The Streif is not forgiving. As Caillot approached the Mausefalle, one of the steepest and most feared sections, he suddenly lost his balance. His skis slipped, and he was launched nearly 40 meters through the air before crashing down with force.

Immediate action by the rescue team made all the difference.  Given the severity of the fall, he was quickly airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Saint Johann, where he underwent a complete medical checkup.

But luckily, he had escaped serious harm and was able to leave the hospital and return to his hotel on the same day, per the French medical team.

So far, Ken Caillot has competed in twelve World Cup races and has raced on the Streif before, finishing 41st in the super‑G and 44th in the downhill last season. But experience is no match for the hazards that the slope possesses.

The Streif is an unforgiving course

Last year, during the World Cup Super‑G in early January 2025, several racers crashed on the Streif. Among the most serious was French star Alexis Pinturault, who lost control on an icy section, slid into the safety netting, and was airlifted to the hospital with a major knee injury.

He required weeks of rest and rehabilitation. His teammate, Florian Loriot, also crashed in the same turn and suffered a concussion, also needing a helicopter evacuation.

Other racers faced challenges too. Dominik Paris fell on the icy, hard-packed section but was able to continue skiing without serious injury. Lukas Feurstein went down at speed, landing in the safety nets, but his knee was okay. Otmar Striedinger suffered a heavy fall after a line error and collided with the netting at a good speed. But still he got up and skied down to the finish.

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“Kitzbuehel was, is and will remain the benchmark,” said Austrian-Dutch racer Marcel Hirscher. “Simply being a good skier isn’t good enough.

Even outside of racing, the Streif has seen its share of terrifying crashes. In 2009, Swiss skier Daniel Albrecht crashed while training, sustaining severe traumatic brain and lung injuries, and was in a coma for 22 months. Though he made it out alive and eventually returned to racing.

For Ken Caillot, his fall could have been catastrophic. Instead, thanks to quick action from rescue crews and protective gear, he walked away with only a bruise.