Highly-ranked Australian Para-snowboarder Matthew Robinson has suffered critical neck and spinal injuries in a racing accident in Spain.
Robinson was competing at the IPC Snowboard World Cup finals in La Molina on Wednesday and the accident occurred in the finish area during his first run in the event, the Australian Paralympic Committee said.
The 29-year-old was treated and stabilised by on-site doctors before being airlifted to the Parc Tauli Sabadell Hospital in Barcelona where he underwent surgery.
He is currently in a critical condition.
A spokesperson for the APC confirmed Robinson had crashed at the bottom of the first run in his second race at the competition.
But she said the organisation is not yet aware of further details.
The accident occurred one day after he finished fourth in the first men's first upper limb impairment race for the event.
Robinson is currently leading the IPC Snowboard World Cup rankings in his category.
This year he has competed in three IPC World Cup events and in January won Australia's first Para-snowboard gold medal at a World Cup meet at Copper Mountain in the US.
Para-snowboard will make its debut on the Paralympic program when the Sochi Games open on March 7, although Robinson's classification will not be contested.
