DENVER, U.S.A --Aug. 10, 2000--
Nearly two weeks after undergoing a liver transplant brought on by the rare, degenerative liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), Olympic snowboard racer Chris Klug of Aspen is recovering in expectation of a return to the U.S. Snowboard Team as early as September.

"We've been really lucky so far. Everything has gone really smooth," Klug said from his room at the Holtze Hotel in downtown Denver. "There is still a chance of a few bumps in the road, but we're definitely through the worst of it."

Klug, 27, underwent five hours of surgery at Denver's University Hospital on July 28 as his weakening liver was exchanged for a donor's healthy replacement. He spent four of the seven years he has known about the disease on a transplant waiting list.

Since the transplant, Klug has been actively rehabilitating on a stationary bike and light workouts.

"We're through the hardest part now," he said. "It's really just a matter of rehabbing myself as if I had a knife wound. I won't be my strongest in time for training camp in late September, but hopefully I'll be ready for the first World Cup at Tignes, France, in November."

Klug will continue daily visits to the hospital for about another week as doctors test for signs of organ rejection and balance the dosage of anti-rejection medication he will take for the rest of his life. The risk of rejection diminishes every day, he said.

"It's a miracle, I tell you," Klug said. "Every morning, I feel a little better. I'm a little stronger, a little looser."

Klug's sights are set on the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. After finishing sixth in Nagano, he wants to reach the top of the podium and spread the word about organ donation a la Lance Armstrong on cancer awareness.

"One of my goals is to increase organ donor awareness. Colorado is a lot better than other states, but there is still room to improve," Klug said. "After I win my gold, I'm want to have livers coming off conveyer belts."