Lauren Macuga poised to return to alpine competition after injury

Lauren Macuga, a Park City local and U.S. Ski team member, discusses her road back to alpine competitions after a season-ending injury last year. Macuga tore her ACL in her right leg in a skiing crash in November 2025 — one day before the first 2026 Olympic qualifier. The injury ended her competition season and kept out of the Milano-Cortina Games. Since she's had two surgeries but says she's poised to get back on the snow. After nine months of rehabilitation Macuga says she's headed to Caralco, Chile, at the end of September to begin training. She recently posted a video of herself on a ski simulator at the the Center of Excellence and says it felt good to be back in boots. She was wearing a brace and says she'll continue to wear it for at least the next year. She also her knee feels "great" and that she feels stronger than before her accident. Macuga is set on returning to racing in December at Beaver Creek in Colorado, but will delay if she doesn't feel she's 100% ready. Before her accident Macuga was ranked 4th in the world in downhill and sixth in super G. She says she's learned a lot during her recovery and will return to skiing as a better athlete in many ways.