Canadian ski team member in hospital after party bus fall
A medal-winning member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team is in hospital after tumbling off a moving party bus during the Calgary Stampede.
Manuel Osborne-Paradis, 27, won't be commenting on the incident, Alpine Canada said in a statement Thursday, but he should be released from a Calgary hospital next week after suffering road rash.
Calgary police spoke about the July 14 incident last week, but didn't name the victim at that time.
Police alleged a drunk young man climbed onto a moving party bus, lost his grip and fell off. His clothing latched on the trailer hitch and he was dragged 80 metres before another motorist alerted the bus driver. Police said the man suffered severe road rash on his buttocks.
Before falling off the bus, Osborne-Paradis was in Calgary rehabilitating from a broken leg suffered during a World Cup race in France in January.
"[He] will be assessed by doctors and team physicians with a view to returning to training in four to six weeks. The injury is not expected to delay his return to competitive skiing, which is scheduled for some time this winter," Alpine Canada said in its statement.
The incident happened near Macleod Trail and 28th Avenue S.W., not far from the grounds where the Calgary Stampede was underway.
Police issued a traffic violation ticket for riding or being towed on the outside of a motor vehicle.
Osborne-Paradis was born in North Vancouver, B.C. He has been on the World Cup podium nine times, winning his first downhill race in 2009. He and a teammate run an all-expenses paid ski camp for 10 up and coming B.C. ski racers.
