Local World Cup and two-time Olympic downhill skier Scott Macartney returned home to Kirkland Jan. 26 after an injury knocked him out of competitive racing for the second year running.

Macartney, 31, suffered an undisclosed injury to his left knee on Jan. 17 after crashing in the Lauberhorn race at Wengen, Switzerland.

“This is a tough one because everything was clicking with my skiing,” Macartney said Monday in a statement issued by the U.S. Ski Team.

US Ski Team and US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) officials say he underwent successful surgery in Vail, Colo. over the weekend.

“He’s recovering quite nicely,” said USSA medical director Dr. Richard Quincy.

His crash and injury are a reminder that the sport of downhill ski racing is an extremely dangerous sport.

The Redmond native was at nearly the same point in the World Cup Downhill circuit last year when a 90 mph crash in the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbuehel, Austria knocked him out of the competitive season. He was placed into a medically-induced coma until doctors could ease the swelling of his brain. But Macartney bounced back quickly and was back training with the US Ski Team members a few months later.

The USSA selects athletes for the national team annually based on their performances in national competitions, such as the World Cup. With the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada starting about a year from now, Macartney’s injury places his participation in doubt.

“It all depends on his recovery,” said US Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. “It’s improbable … but it’s possible that he could be ready. It’s difficult to say, based on the severity of his injury.”

He previously competed in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics and was ranked 29th in World Cup standings this year before the crash.