Canadian alpine skier Louis-Pierre Helie was airlifted to hospital Tuesday, after crashing during a World Cup downhill training session in the Italian Alps.

Helie of Berthierville, Que., took a hard landing during a run down the icy Stelvio course in the Alps north of Bormio, Italy.

Canadian team officials say the 24-year-old skier suffered a head injury. Race organizers reported that Helie briefly lost consciousness, but came to during the helicopter ride to a local hospital.

Helie, who is considered one of the young rising stars in Canada's Alpine ski program, had a career-best 13th-place World Cup finish in Val Garenda, Italy earlier this month. He had only cracked the top 30 at a World Cup event once before, when he placed 22nd at a 2009 downhill race in Lake Louise.

Although his was the day's worst crash, Helie was not the only racer to tumble Tuesday.

American Marco Sullivan, who was first on the course, lost control while landing a jump mid-way down. Organizers said he was on the verge of losing consciousness, but eventually recovered enough to ski down the hill.

He was nevertheless airlifted to hospital in Sonaldo.

Robbie Dixon posted the fastest run for a Canadian Tuesday, completing the course in 2:03.16, just four-tenths of a second behind the fastest finisher, Austrian Klaus Kroell.

Manuel Osborne-Paradis was the only other Canadian to finish the last day of training runs with a top-30 time.

The actual downhill race is set to speed down the mountain on Wednesday.

The Alpine Ski World Cup -- which sees racers vying for superiority in a circuit of slalom, giant slalom, Super G, and downhill races -- is considered the world's premier alpine competition.

Pista Stelvio is ranked among the most challenging downhill courses on the international circuit.