Yeah, I heard about the death. Rider named Jake Watson.
It's mentioned at the bottom of this article.
Pro Downhiller Dies After Crash At Big Bear | Sports & Recreation > Sports, Games & Outdoor Recreation from AllBusiness.com
Post up if you make it-good luck with your knee, and good luck to anyone else who plans on going. It's really one of the best events out there.
I've got a lot of training to do, but I'm slowly working on it...