Canadian Freestyle Ski Member Justin Dorey Out

On the eve of X Games, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association announced today that National Halfpipe Team member Justin Dorey will undergo surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his left shoulder and will not compete for the rest of the season.

Dorey suffers from recurrent shoulder dislocation, which began last year when he crashed during his final run at X Games.

Since that initial injury, Dorey’s shoulder has dislocated numerous times; but it was a fall in training last week in Breckenridge that was the deciding factor for surgery.

“When I fell training in Breck I did more damage than the other dislocations and I tore more ligaments, so I need to get it taken care of now,” said a disappointed Dorey.

Team doctors expect Dorey, who was the Association of Freeskiing Professionals World Champion in 2011, to make a full recovery following surgery and for him to be able to return to Halfpipe training in three to four months.

However, because he won’t be competing at any more events this season, he will not be eligible for early, or ‘Method A’, nomination to the Canadian Olympic Team for Sochi under the CFSA selection protocol.

To qualify for early selection an athlete must podium in at least two of five designated competitions this season; Dorey won the first targeted event, the Dew Cup in January, but now will not have an opportunity to compete in any of the others this season.

The 23-year-old from Whistler stated “This wasn’t in my plan and I’m obviously really disappointed, I wanted to get in [to the Olympics] through Method A, so this is a definite bump in the road. But, I’m still in a good position to qualify through Method B next season.”

Indeed, under the CFSA’s ‘Method B’ selection criteria, Dorey already has one podium out of four required placing’s to earn him a spot on the team.

Under CFSA injury clause, if he misses 75 percent of this season’s eligible competitions due to injury, he may be able to use a podium position from last season in those four required placing’s.

However, the pressure will be on in 2013/14, when he will have to add at least two more results towards his Olympic bid before the FIS cut-off at the end of January.

Acknowledged as one of the most talented athletes in the men’s Halfpipe field, Dorey, who has participated in the last eight X Games, was also understandably disappointed to be missing that high profile action sport competition.

Thanks to the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association for the info.