Ski standout Braathen has surgery on appendix before worlds

ZELL-AM-SEE, Austria (AP) — World Cup slalom standings leader Lucas Braathen says he left hospital after surgery for appendicitis ahead of the world championships. The 22-year-old Norwegian will miss a World Cup slalom on Saturday in France. He’s targeting races in two weeks’ time at the worlds in Courchevel and Meribel. Braathen writes in a post on Instagram that included a photograph from his hospital bed. He says “it’s been a tough couple of days fighting after surprisingly finding out about quite an intense infection on my appendix.”