What made Britain's most elite ski instructors convert to helmets?

A snowHead

I drove my skidoo over your skis last night
(ooh aah ooh aah)
I threw me skipole at your dog to keep quiet
(ooh aah ooh aah)
Now something's telling me
That you'm avoiding me
Come on now darling you've got something I need

[Chorus] Cuz I got a brand new shiny helmet
An' I'll give you a polishing cloth
Come on now let's get together
In perfect harmony
I got a BASI level 2
An' you got forty-three
Now I got a brand new shiny helmet
An' I'll give you a polishing cloth

A snowHead

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@Comedy Goldsmith, You are spreading lies here without concern for those you are speaking about, but get offended when you are under the impression you are the victim! rolling eyes

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Fattes13, yesterday wrote:

not a single trainer I have ever had on a course has worn a helmet!

I believe you.

Fattes13, today wrote:

You are spreading lies here without concern for those you are speaking about

If you're going to make that kind of accusation, do it in person ... not as "Fattes13"

Those I'm "speaking about" have their backs turned to the camera in this particular shot. But surely they are BASI trainers.

I believe you that trainers haven't worn helmets when training you. But clearly, this (apparent) BASI demo team is 100% helmetted.

Is that for protection - what risk of head injury? BASI demos have happened for decades without incident, as far as I'm aware - or is it by promotional agreement?

Let's just get the facts on the table ... as to why this BASI team is fully helmetted.

Any member of the team care to comment?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

can't comment on the specifics, but maybe, just maybe they had just been doing some speed/gate work in which case helmets wouldn't be a bad call. If they choose not to wear a helmet when teaching snow plough to beginners then that's up to them.

As an aside I'm actually curious as to whether some message has gone out to members reminding them that their licence may be revoked if they participate in free discussions about BASI/ESF/SB etc.

After all it is free

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I am not hiding behind anything, a quick google of my user name will give you access to my Twitter and my FB! Both use the same tag and pretty much everyone bar my mother refers to my by the name, without the numbers.

@Comedy Goldsmith, You have clearly & unequivocally stated that you believe BASI are pushing a helmet agenda, without providing a single shred of evidence, i put a post up on page 2 of this thread that shows multiple BASI trainers in various scenarios taken in the past 12 months all with no helmet on including one in a race course!!! There are more links below to the BASI website that refute your silly childish nonsense. You behavior was highlighted on a FB ski page and you were out voted, the Skiclub UK have had enough of you and taken action. Eventually you might realize the problem is not everyone else!

I am sure you follow Ross Green on twitter, he posted a pic of the BASI demo team this am all again sporting no helmets.

Now you either properly evidence the accusations you make so you can stand by them or you withdraw them. But just as a very interesting point, the BASI website which would be their primary public portal and front office space, have a look at the links below? No helmets in the header photo, or in the group shot or on the alpine/telemark pages! If they are pushing an agenda they are not doing it very well or sending mixed messages.

http://www.basi.org.uk/content/alpine-ski.aspx

http://www.basi.org.uk/index.aspx

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"there is no helmet agenda": stevomcd

Whether there is some sort of helmet agenda at BASI (e.g. peer or trainer influence), whether it is a more subtle affair, or whether there is no helmet agenda at all ... is a matter of interpretation of what's been raised in this thread so far, and the photos. We can only rely upon published evidence and - of course - the experiences of those who've trained with BASI, or seen their demos, or been trainers themselves etc. One point of interest would be whether helmets are the norm at Interski

Additional historical and current quotes, referenced to sources ...

2009 ... BBC News report by James Cove ... "Should ski helmets be compulsory?" ... following the death of Natasha Richardson
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7953165.stm

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EDITED: You know what, I'm not going to bother. Too silly to waste any more of my time on.

You know it makes sense.

Maybe have a chat with Sir Steve and the BASI Interski demo team?

This is the home page of Interski 2015 [not the BASI team]

http://www.interski-2015.org/en/

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Comedy Goldsmith, at no point does any of your evidence show an official BASI doctoring of compulsory helmet use or collusion with helmet producers, the wearing of helmets for U17 is required by law in some nations or regions ( nothing to do with BASI) the requirement of domes for people to wear helmets (nothing to do with BASI), individual ski schools requirements nothing to do with BASI.

I note with interest you have ignored the evidence provided of the BASI web site were only Race coaching & Adaptive sections feature helmets ?? You have yet to provide a single solid irrefutable shred of evidence that illustrates BASI have a pro helmet stance or are liaising with helmet producers??

Next you will be telling me BASI trainers are hiding on a grassy knoll taking people out to promote helmet use

A snowHead

@Fattes13, @stevomcd, pointless arguing with somebody who thinks that you can discover real life through atypical images and media puff pieces while sitting in their pyjamas and furiously Googling. What's the worst kind of conspiracy theorist? Someone who actually believes their own nonsense.

A snowHead

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@rob@rar, just talk to your president and chairman. Unlike me (I'm in a pair of chinos, actually) they actually have some authority over your destiny.

And they clearly have a slightly authoritarian attitude to helmets!

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@Comedy Goldsmith, you might well be in chinos but you're coming across like one of the pyjama people, which is curious as I know you're not dumb. Just can't understand why you're behaving like it.

I've skied with Gareth a lot. He never wears a helmet. Steve wears one from what I remember, although at the time I was bucketing him in a sit-ski and to be honest I'm surprised he didn't wear body armour and an airbag as well. However, as an honorary officer he has no day to day impact on BASI policies.

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@Comedy Goldsmith, maybe you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet...?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@Comedy Goldsmith, "Your" The have respective roles within BASI they are neither mine or anyone else's, were the interviews given in a personal capacity or where they expressing an explicit BASI policy!!

Secondly still waiting on you to address the lack of visible head protection on the BASI official website!

Sadly it appears as a once passionate and articulate journalist you have, lost the plot completely and become so out of touch with the modern ski world as to have made oneself irrelevant and nothing more than the ski equivalent of the tin foil hat brigade!

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BASI INTERSKI DEMO TEAM 2015

This is the team (plus support) which will go to Ushuaia, Argentina, in September 2015:
the most elite-performing ski instructors in the UK.

There are 14 skiers in the photo, 12 of whom appear to be wearing helmets.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/BASI.BritishAssociationofSnowsportInstructors/photos/a.751440734886339.1073741828.171660376197714/751440778219668/?type=3&theater

According to this report from Snow magazine ...

http://snowmagazine.com/news/basi-interski-dream-team-selected

... ten of the skiers in that photo will actually form the demonstration squad.

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Sadly, I think CG has a tendency to often go into Don Quixote mode - this BASI helmet thread is just another windmill being tilted at....

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P.S. I concluded some time ago that all the personal crap above was the usual snowHeads reflection of 'lost argument, so resort to abuse/don't believe him/don't believe the internet' etc.

Maybe if BASI was generally based on evidence, transparency, fairness, accountability, science - and so - it wouldn't be in the chaotic state it's in right now. The helmets issue is actually - as seems to be common ground - a matter for the individual. It's for the individual to choose, completely free of peer-pressure/sponsor pressure/Interski pressure or any other pressure.

It's for Gareth Roberts to say whether he was misquoted by The Independent in 2011 (which rob@rar seems to imply, with no evidence - did GR contact the Independent to correct the report?) ... or whether he genuinely believed what they reported at the time - that he took the view that insurers should impose helmet use on skiers.

At the end of the day, it's about ski instructors setting an example to their pupils - one of which might be 'Simply use the brain inside your skull to make your own choice - I'm not going to lead you to wear a helmet or not to wear a helmet. It's entirely your decision, and either choice is fine."

@Comedy Goldsmith, this is getting tedious, so I'll make one last post. I didn't imply anything, I smimply observed that I've never seen Gareth wearing a helmet and I've skied with him a fair amount. In the last couple of years I've skied with or been around more than half the demo team. None of them wear a helmet on a full-time basis. They pick and choose when to wear them. It's up to BASI candidates to make of that what t hey will. Unlike you, I actually have first hand knowledge of modern day BASI, warts and all. So I offer this advice in the best possible spirit: give up this particular point as you are making yourself look foolish.

As for the personal crap, you reap what you sow.

You know it makes sense.

You said, precisely ...

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

Happy birthday, by the way!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Comedy Goldsmith, Still not addressing the question about the main BASI webpage photos, 70+ Skiers and only 3 helmets in view!!!!! But instead you keep insisting on one or two photos! Sad really that you are not willing to answer questions or further research the topic before going off on a weird tangent

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@Comedy Goldsmith, thanks!

But I have too much tequila to drink to get into another argument with you wink

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@Comedy Goldsmith,Now you are just being childish rather than actually acting like an adult! BASI home page on their website link below incase you are finding it difficult

Big group photo of Basi trainers under the words courses across the globe

Header photo on page with Basi trainers no helmet

Each of the photos for category on right of the page No helmets, except for Adaptive and Race (Featuring a racer in a GS course)

http://www.basi.org.uk/index.aspx

Now does sir prefer his humble pie, with cream or custard?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@rob@rar, Maybe its an eyesight thing I mean he cant seem to see or find the BASI website, but then again that would illustrate the exact opposite of the point he is trying to make!!

Probably best to let him keep digging maybe he will end up somewhere else! Laughing

Wasn't it quieter when he "took a break"

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@ansta1, yes.

I think the more pressing question is this: headbands, now that BASI Trainers are rocking them, will the rest of the skiing world follow...?

Help!!

What made Britain's most elite ski instructors convert to helmets?

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