The Koblacher freeride pro Fabio Studer wants to attack again this winter – even if he has a hard rehab behind him. On Saturday, the freeskier will be a guest in the clubhouse (7:30 p.m., VOL.AT).
February in winter 2021 was a month that turned the world of Koblacher extreme athlete Fabio Studer upside down. Because the freerider almost reached the limits of his physical resilience – or exceeded them and ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
During filming on the Zamangspitze, the experienced extreme skier jumped from a rock into the deep snow. However, another boulder was hidden under the surface of the snow in the landing.
The massive impact shattered both of Koblacher’s heel bones and he suffered numerous fractures in both legs. Weeks of hospital stays with complicated operations and lengthy rehabilitation followed, which also pushed the now 36-year-old to his mental limits.
Here all was right with the world. A few jumps later, Fabio Studer landed on a rock hidden under the surface of the snow and suffered his serious injury.
©Dominik Hadwiger
With a pained face, the freeskier skied down before the piste rescue team took him away via Skidoo.
©handout/Studer
Comeback after months of rehab
Filmer David Zamut took on the story of the unique comeback and filmed it as “Rehab Life Episode 1”:
“My right leg suffered two relatively clean and uncomplicated fractures. It didn’t look as good on the left. The heel was completely smashed and broken into a total of 14 pieces,” says Fabio about his injury. Long weeks of medical rehabilitation followed, accompanied by countless hours of physiotherapy.
In the hospital, the extreme athlete was presented with a shocking picture of his foot.
©handout/Studer
Fabio Studer: “Back on the skis as soon as possible”
For the thoroughbred skier, it was clear from the start that he wanted to get back to his sport as soon as possible: “When I saw the foot for the first time, I was of course shocked. And one has justified fears that the foot will ever fully recover heal or become an invalid but after the initial diagnosis and the doctors assessment I knew I was fighting my way back and I have to say before I thought about running my focus was on getting back on skis. ”
The X-ray of the crushed heel.
©handout/Studer
His humorous nature and his environment, which gave him the fullest support, also helped him. Many thanks also go to physiotherapist Stephan Caldonazzi, who looked after him excellently and accompanied him through this difficult time.
Fabio Studer took his situation with humor and concentrated on his comeback.
©handout/Studer
“Since June of the previous year, all the screws have been removed and I can fully concentrate on my sport again. Spending time on the mountain with my friends gives me so much. Together with Thomas Feurstein and Maxi Hitzig, we decided on the planned a lot this winter,” the freerider continues. In the meantime, he is also concentrating more and more on the production of film and video content. On social media, for example, the Koblacher is followed by 89,000 fans on Instagram.
Fabio Studer in the clubhouse
In the current Klubhaus episode (premier on Saturday, January 21, at 7:30 p.m. on VOL.AT), Fabio Studer talks in detail about his long way back to the boards, which mean the world to him.
