Last Saturday, August 31,
we reported that Brook Macdonald had crashed on the final training day ahead of the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Championships and had to be evacuated off the mountain with a spinal injury. We've since learned that Brook broke two vertebrae in the crash and doctors have had to stabilize the spine with eight screws and two rods.
We sent Brook a couple of questions to find out more about how he is doing after the surgery.
What were the crash and subsequent evacuation like from your point of view?
Obviously not very good at all. I spent 5 hours on the mountain waiting for a helicopter. I felt like they had no organisation in place for an event like this which is very bad on their behalf. They tried to take me down the hill in a quad. Come on! I had spinal injury, isn’t your first thought a helicopter? It was the worst day of my life spent there. I didn’t get any painkillers for an hour so I was in so much agony. People were arguing and fighting over what should be done about me, they were lying to me on when the heli was going to be there, it was really bad. The only thing that got me through was Peaty, Blinky, Wyn and our physio Dennis. If I didn’t have the guys there supporting me I don’t know how I would have handled the situation.
How did the surgery go?
The surgery went really well and the surgeon was happy with what he did, the extent of my injury was pretty bad.
How long will you stay in Quebec before you can be transferred home?
I’m not sure yet. I’m allowed to go home now but I am not capable of flying yet as I need medical assistance so trying to sort stuff out with insurances. It's a little difficult as you know how they can be.
Have you regained full sensation in your lower extremities?
Pretty much still some tinglyness on the back of my legs and my ankles aren’t fully working yet but I can feel everything which is a really good sign it will just take time to regain that feeling.
What is your long-term outlook like?
I wanna be back racing ASAP. That is my goal and I will get there. I know it’s going to take some time and rehab but I’m always up for a new challenge.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I wanna thank each and every person that has reached out to me. It has been so overwhelming the support I’ve had from everyone around the world I just can’t believe it and it brings tears to my eyes. Never thought I was such a well known person but from the bottom of my heart thank you everyone.
We have no doubts that the Bulldog will achieve what he sets his mind to do. We're rooting for you Brook, all the best.
But hey, at least they reduced their heli evac time by 30 minutes! Maybe next year they'll be able to get someone off the mountain with a serious injury within 3 1/2 hours! #babysteps #beblessedheli #whatdowedo
This is a world championship course what broke down in Quebec's/ MSA/ UCI's planning to not have air lift on standby???
Pretty sure MSA has nothing to do with this as they don't host the event.
At what point though, does the UCI have to step up and have a basic emergency preparedness program? Certain local logistics will of course be specific to each venue, but basics such as predetermined air extraction points, etc really seem like a small step.
It would be interesting to know how it's done in different places.
Most logical would be to winch the injured in the copter rather than to land on the mountain, but all chopper may not be equipped to do this. Is there no other way to bring someone injured down a mountain ? The quad seems a bit sketchy, even if the injured is all strapped to a stretcher.
Maybe i'm just being a whiny idiot on the internet, but the whole thing was f*cked
Even in North America where choppers are more prevalent, I bet air ambulances are still rare. And as for winch equipped ones, rarer still.
Put into context and I imagine its similar in most places, in the UK all costal and mountain rescues are done by the Coastguard with winch equipped choppers. There are about 10 nationwide if memory serves me. Routine air ambulance work such as serious collisions, your average MX incident, etc are all done by county air ambulance that are charities - not even the health service.
You need to be realistic.
Uci have some silly rules. Maybe they should look at rescue plans as part of it. As others have said BC would have you out. So would Europe.
What I can’t figure out is why this wasn’t in place in MSA.
This is an absolute disgrace in every way imaginable Brook’s well being hanging in the balance and these c*nts couldn’t figure it out.
If this happened to a paying customer at any bike resort in North America they would have one helluva law suit on their hands.
To be honest I hope Brook does file a law suit against them over the lack of preparedness for this scenario because it’s f*cking unacceptable
True about Whistler. And the North Shore where they regularly long line folks out of the bush in an impressively short time!
That being said it’s regional struggle for resources for this type of equipment. When Stevie Smith had his crash at the wastelands in Nanaimo, there was no (and still isn’t) a helicopter in Nanaimo. BC Ambulance was called for a Medivac, which originates from the south terminal at YVR Vancouver. So the helicopter came from Vancouver, to Nanaimo, and transported him to Victoria. It’s shit indeed but logistics in Canada are complicated.
There are four hospitals that also have helis.
And the children's hospital has a leer jet as well.
In this case the agency for the MSA world cup/champs events is Velirium. I would focus my attention and frustration with them (Velirium.com). They are responsible for ensuring that things are covered and are the primary point of liability for these issues. With that said, I am sure UCI will change their guidelines for each agency these use world wide to provide the specific plan on how matters like this will be addressed to ensure that this doesn't happen again.
Was this ridiculous...yup. I have been to MSA a number of times and know that anything beyond minor flesh wounds would need to go to a hospital in Quebec City (45minute drive away) or Montreal (2hours and 15 minutes drive away). The fact that they had nothing planned or did not pay to have a helicopter withing a 5 minute drive away from the parking lot (Plenty of fields in the general area for that) is totally inexcusable. What do you have to say Veliruim???
Time definitely matters with a spinal injury. Bone frags can work inward. I just cannot get over how long he waited on slope.
Btw, helicopters use long lines and land on the sides of mountains quite often. I’ve stomped out a pad in snow for an emergency landing before, and we’ve all seen plenty of footage from action sports films with sketch-as drops. Sure you need skilled pilots, but beyond that, there just isn’t really an excuse.
Isn’t the saying, if you are in the wilderness you call a heli for life OR limb? And I think a spinal injury is more severe than limb...
It took me 7 days to wiggle my toes after a t4-5 fracture, and subsequent fusion at t2-t8. I went from ICU bed ridden to Wheelchair, walker, cane to skiing in 3 months, 7 days. That was in 2010. I still don’t have proper sensation on my lower left side below my ribs. But the humbling part for me at the Spinal Nuero wing of the U of U hospital was that I was the only one on the floor that was getting better. Super humbling.
speedy recovery Brook!
Yes, that might cost extra money.
UCI is the governing body. If they shall prevent things like this happening, it can only be done by excluding any host that does not present a convincing emergency procedure concept in the first place. Yes, UCI could have a rule catalog for this - on the other hand it seems like common sense that someone who wants to host a world championship spends a few thoughts on what will happen in an emergency...
Actually, what you wrote pretty much elaborates my point.
Regarding common sense... That might be the case for Euro-alpine WC venues. They have kind of a longer tradition for mountain rescue, it appears to me. Maybe heli rescue is in the package there. If not, just make sure a pilot is on stand by. Next year it will be the case in MSA, I'm sure. And probably at the moment, in Snowshoe, as well. They wouldn't risk to save a few 1000 $ vs. all the money, effort and hope being lost due to negative press.
As an experienced UCi race organiser myself, this is how it works:
You apply to run a World Cup or a World Champs (in the case), pay the UCi a fee, I'm out the loop now but guessing between 20-30k euros and you organise the race and most of the infrastructure around it. That includes setting the course up, medics, marshals etc.. The UCi will of course work with you regards timing, Red Bull, number boards etc.. to ensure standardisation across the events.
The UCi team do turn up on mass with the likes of Simon Burney their MTB Consultant who has been attending World Champs for 30 years as well as David Vasquez the Gravity Technical Delegate (DH Legend from back in the day). They also supply the Commissaires. This is all to ensure safety, fairness and compliance with the UCi regs for running such an event.
From Brook's report, there seems to be a number of failings, now this could be down to the local procedures. Either way, the organiser would have submitted to their national federation and the UCi a technical document detailing all the details about the race, course length, number of marshals, medics, toilets, showers, anti-doping controls etc..
Now it may be that the rules, guidelines need up-dating to ensure this doesn't happen again. I have therefore contacted Simon Burney late last night offering him the opportunity to respond on behalf of the UCi. He fired me back a prompt response stating that the response will come from Louis Chenaille, the UCI Press Officer. We look forward to their response and any opportunity to increase rider and spectator safety and well being at all events. Back soon!
For everyone's info, the UCI is a sports governing body who's primary function during World Cup races is sporting control. The race organizer is the entity responsible for the venue itself and for the logistics needed to run the event, including emergency medical care.
The UCI is not like the WWE or UFC, which handles both sporting control and event management.
Wishing the best of luck to the Bulldog for a speedy recovery.
www.uci.org/press-release/study-reveals-the-economic-impact-of-major-uci-cycling-events
The UCI has had time today to make a press release on the economic impact of World Champs, but not to address a major failure of health and safety? Riders bash the UCI and national federations because we don't always see what we get in return for the license fees and bureaucracy. This is yet another example.
Unthef*ckacceptable.
My other hot tip for those considering otherwise: stay with them through the hospital. A colleague of mine literally save me from carrying an unnecessary pace maker.
We’re all hoping you have a quick and full recovery and we’re looking forward to seeing you at world cup races again soon.
By the way, how was the ground after you crashed into it? If you broke some bones, I bet the ground is pretty messed up too!
Quebec/ Canada who would think it would take 5 hours to send a hellivac ....
So I agree a dedicated chopper should be on standby. In south Africa we tend to plan ahead because we don't expect too much off our EMS. So there needs to a plan B.
Brook hope you recover 100% and be back on your bike soon .
On a side note, the helicopter doesn't need to land if a rescue basket is available. Which any medivac/rescue helicopter should have. Just relies on a small open area to get the basket down in.
Best wishes to Brook for his recovery. Hopefully in time for Crankworx in Rotorua.
we never meet in Person but I wish you all the best.
Massive Healing Vibes from Cologne/Germany.
Always a pleasure see you ripping the Worldcup tracks apart. Hope to witness that again. The sooner the better.
Cheers
Christian
www.pinkbike.com/news/brook-macdonald-sustains-spinal-injury-in-training-crash-mont-sainte-anne-dh-world-champs-2019.html
I worked as a LifeFlight crew in the past, the thing people don't think about is that the lives of the pilot and medical crew are at risk during every flight. Changing weather and wind, and unknown LZ's are significant risks, and we don't just jump into action like on TV. All these risks are constantly evaluated and sometimes cause delays. Crashing in a helicopter is much worse than crashing in a DH race. In the end, a one hour delay for Brook didn't really change his outcome at all. it doesn't change his need for surgery, it doesn't change his ability to get back on his bike any sooner.
Good luck Brook!
33 staples...
I once fell from a horse flat on my back, didn't break anything but felt like 80y.o. for 2 weeks.
Healing vibes
AirMedic is pretty much the only private company around and they only have 4 helicopters... But I don't even think that was an option, the Canadian Army was probably a lot cheaper and therefore a better option for the UCI.
I'm not worried for Brook, he's probably the baddest motherf*cker on the planet, he'll be back stronger. However, I am worried about the future of DH racing in MSA. We've seen bad decisions taken in similar circumstances before but never as bad... 5 f*cking hours.. I'm actually impressed at how spectacular of a f*ck up that was.
Stay strong Brook, you absolute stud!!
BC has easily one of the f*cking best Medi-vac/ S&R programs in the world. I should know as I was nearly killed by an avalanche this year and saw it first hand. S&R teams from around the world come to BC to train with our guys.
And let's be real my comment was clearly a just taking the piss and not a personal attack.
heal up Brook we need you back racing!