The 2014 edition of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia is very warm. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s have resulted in spring-like conditions. Normally warm weather this time of year would be a blessing, but for a winter competition it's anything but. The snow is becoming mushy and elite skiers and snowboarders are getting injured left and right. These elite athletes need the snow to be packed in tight in order to gain the necessary speed their sports require.

The most serious injury to date happened to host nation Russia's Maria Komissarova. The skier reportedly broke her back while practicing on the PSX Olympic Skicross course at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park. She had emergency surgery that lasted nearly seven hours according to The Wall Street Journal.

In addition to Komissarova, Rosa Khutor has claimed many others victims. American snowboarder Shaun White pulled out of the very first event of these Olympics, the inaugural slopestyle competition. He hurt his wrist during an earlier practice run and said the course was "intimidating."

Fellow American Maggie Voisin got hurt at the park as well. At just 15 years old, Voisin was the nation's youngest Winter Olympics competitor since 1972. She hurt her ankle during ski slopestyle qualifying. 

Not everyone is concerned over the park. Canadian athletes have downplayed the conditions they and their fellow athletes are facing. Skicross participant Brady Leman spoke to Yahoo Sports about Komissarova's injury. He chalked up the incident to her inexperience.

"This is a super challenging course here," Leman said. "For someone in her position, she'd had have to been on her game here. If you're one of the athletes at the back of the pack, there's not a lot of room for error."

"It's designed for the best athletes in the world," Leman added. "Skicross is a young sport, and there's quite an ability spread still, especially on the ladies' side still."

The super fast course, though, is apparently starting to slow down.

"The way conditions were today, the snow was harder and firmer than all week," Leman said. "It's likely harder and faster than it will be in the race."

Marielle Thompson, also competing for Team Canada, echoed Leman's sentiments.

"I think our sport has really made big changes in terms of safety," Thompson remarked. "I don't think that many people are that concerned, especially on a big course like this that has been tested by high-level athletes in snowboard and skicross."

Let's just hope no one else gets hurt going forward.

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