Wengen, Switzerland  - Swedish skier Markus Larsson suffered a concussion and facial injuries on Wednesday when he crashed during the first training for the Lauberhorn World Cup downhill ski races.

Race spokesman Hugo Steinegger said that Larsson, 30, briefly lost consciousness when he crashed in the final section of the downhill course. He was taken to a hospital in Interlaken by helicopter.

Steinegger said that Larsson suffered a concussion, cuts in his face, broke his nose and sustained bruises in the incident. He was due to remain in hospital for observation.

"He is ok. We are glad that the injuries are not more serious," said Steinegger.

Larsson is a slalom specialist who has two World Cup wins. He took part in downhill practice Wednesday because he wanted to compete in Friday's super-combined event made up of a downhill and slalom portion.

The Lauberhorn downhill is the longest in the World Cup circuit with 4.5 kilometres.

The section where Larsson crashed, a chicane-like curve followed by a jump to the finish area, was made safer in a renewed safety debate in the sport in the wake of a crash of Austrian Matthias Lanzinger last March in Norway. Lanzinger lost his lower leg.

Compatriot Gernot Reinstadler died in 1991 on the Wengen course of injuries sustained in a crash in the closing section. (dpa)