The 33-year-old jumped 136 metres but failed to lock in the landing, leading to a horrendous crash which saw his face scrape across the snow at high speeds.

Ammann was seen to immediately by medical staff on the scene and escorted to the hospital in Salzburg where he regained consciousness.

His face was seen bloodied and unmoving as he was stretchered from the crash site but the FIS. 

Ammann severe concussion and heavy bruises on his face, but no fractures.

"Simon Ammann is still in the hospital in Schwarzach and needs to rest in order recover completely from this serious fall," said Christan Stahl, media coordinator of Swiss-Ski.

This was the second time Ammann had fallen at the Four Hills Tournament with a less severe accident occurring at the opening leg in Oberstdorf, Germany.



It also followed an accident involving American ski jumper Nick Fairall, who sustained a spine injury when he fell in the qualification round.

The 25-year-old underwent emergency surgery on Monday (January 5) evening to stabilize his injuries.

He is now in a stable condition and awake.

Amman is a four-time gold medallist at the Olympic Games having won double gold in the normal and large hill ski jumping events at Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010.

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