The American skier Lindsey Vonn - who is rumored to be dating golfer Tiger Woods - has suffered a serious crash in the women's super-G on the opening day of the alpine skiing world championships in Schladming on Tuesday (February 5, 2013). The four-time world champion lost balance on her right leg while attempting to land a jump. Her ski came off immediately before Vonn slid off the course and hit a gate, according to the Guardian.

Vonn received medical attention on the slope for around 12 minutes before being taken to hospital in a helicopter. The race had been delayed by fog, which forced organizers to delay the start by some three and a half hours. It started just before a deadline which would have postponed the event for another day, though it's unclear whether visibility affected Vonn's crash. She had trailed the race leader Tina Maze of Slovenia by around 0.12 seconds shortly before the accident. 

An exclusive report by Hollywood Life.com last month revealed how Lindsey, 28, had been dating golf ace Tiger Woods for around two months. "They met through the ski community, because Tiger is an active skier," a source close to Vonnrevealed. "Lindsey has been teaching Tiger's kids Sam and Charlie how to ski." Tiger is said to have visited Lindsey in Austria mid-January, where she was participating in an Audi FIS Alpine Sky World Cup event.

Lindsey Vonn, ESPN PartyLindsey Vonn Suffered A Serious Crash On The Slopes This Week