Eva-Maria Brem, the reigning World Cup giant slalom champion and Austrian Sportswoman of the Year, broke her lower left leg in a crash Friday and will be out four to six months, according to Austria’s ski federation.
Brem, 28, completed a steady rise last season to the top of the giant slalom standings, winning twice and adding a pair of runner-ups on the World Cup circuit.
However, Brem was 26th in the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, on Oct. 22.
The favorites for this season’s World Cup giant slalom title, in Brem’s absence, appear to be World Cup overall champion Lara Gut of Switzerland and American Mikaela Shiffrin, who went one-two in Soelden.