Spain’s Castellet taken to hospital after crash, forced to withdraw from women’s halfpipe

Spanish snowboarder crashes, taken to hospital

WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Spanish snowboarder Queralt Castellet was taken to a hospital as a precaution after she crashed during practice for the women’s Olympic halfpipe competition.

Castellet fell on a training run after she had already made Thursday’s halfpipe final. She was taken from the venue at Cypress Mountain on a stretcher.

The 20-year-old from Sabadell scored a 44.3 on her qualifying run, trailing only favorites Torah Bright of Australia and American Kelly Clark. The top score is 50.

Dani Fernandez, a coach with the Spanish federation, said Castellet “fainted” after the fall, which prompted officials to take her to the hospital to be checked out.

“She feels good, but she cannot compete,” he said.

Castellet finished 26th in the 2006 Turin Games. More recently, she placed sixth at the 2009 World Championships.

She’s had three podium finishes in 18 World Cup starts.