Italian skier Elena Fanchini treating tumour, ends season

Italy's Elena Fanchini competes during a women's downhill race, at the alpine ski World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Sunday, Feb.12, 2017. (Alessandro Trovati/AP)

MILAN — Italian skier Elena Fanchini is ending her season a month before the Pyeongchang Olympics due to a tumour.

Without providing details, Fanchini says she is undergoing a series of medical exams "and my intention is to return to skiing next season."

The 32-year-old Fanchini won a silver medal in downhill at the 2005 world championships and has won two World Cup races in her career — both in downhill.

Fanchini started this season with a fourth place in a downhill in Lake Louise, Alberta, but had struggled in recent races. She was aiming to compete in her fourth Olympics.

Fanchini’s younger sister, Nadia, is also a World Cup ski racer.

Italian winter sports federation president Flavio Roda says, "I want Elena to know that we are all behind her and her family and that we will be awaiting her return to the ski course."

[relatedlinks]

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.