Here we have the first footage from the new winter Olympic Sport “Skifall 1100m”. Skiers are marked on a set of parallel turns before throwing themselves onto the floor, followed by a distance race to see how far they can slide down a piste.
On a serious note, has anything like this ever happened to anyone? I’ve had my fair share of tumbles at speed on steep terrain, but I’ve never continued to slide for this distance.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 10-02-22 23:16; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Turn yourself onto your front & dig your toes in.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I thought this. But then surely a better technique and one that reduces damage to ankles, knees and legs, would be to hold the ski pole and use it as an ice axe digging harder into the snow?
@Ricklovesthepowder, yes, my stepson did it when he was much younger. Lovely bit of boiler plate. There was a weird ridged join of a few cm from where the bashers hadn’t overlapped. It sent Jnr over and he slid from the 16 sign all the way down to the bottom of the slope. He didn’t actually pick up loads of speed, but just couldn’t stop. If those signs were every 100m like they should be, he slid 1600m!
We had to go looking for his skis!
This was quite an eventful holiday. One afternoon he fell in ski school and we had to collect him from the medical centre. He’d hit his helmeted head and given it quite a knock. He was gutted that he had to ride the lift down and didn’t get taken on a skidoo! Another time we happened to ski past a little bit of a commotion so we stopped. Two instructors were rescuing a kid who had slid under the safety netting and was on laying on the edge of a drop off… turns out it was our kid. Thankfully, I can’t remember any further incidents during his childhood skiing and he’s a pretty decent skier now!
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 10-02-22 23:33; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yes that sort of thing has happened to me. I had to do the “grab a pole with both hands and stick the tip in” (ooh err missus) thing. I slid a long way and just stopped short of the trees at the bottom of a black. Similar conditions to the vid and I lost the downhill edge, my back bottom touched the slope and before I knew what was happening I was head first down the piste at speed.
After all it is free
After all it is free
How steep was the run??
Unbelievable Jeff!
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Alastair Pink, I think that’s where I picked up that nugget of information
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Don't think this is a case of which technique works best; They don't appear to make much effort to stop at all.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
You can’t use a pole point effectively as a self arrest point if you are wearing straps.
Grabbing the pole just above the basket and jamming it down will be effective.
Straps are for children...
A
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Dinosoar, welcome to Snowheads
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
On a serious note, has anything like this ever happened to anyone?
Yup.
I was peeking over a steep black section when I got taken from behind by a boarder (or-err missus again). He was trying to stop but was on his ar$e himself.
Skis gone, poles gone, on my back; it was a big hit and I’m no lightweight. I tried all the usual techniques to stop myself, but at that speed, I was just a passenger. After what seemed ages, I managed to sit up, like in the vid above and just about steer away from the edge, to aim straight down the piste. It shallowed at the bottom and all was good.
My ski buddies were absolutely livid and really laid into the boarder for not fore-warning them of his intended target … coz they wanted to film it
I’ll definitely use the pole-in-the-ground technique next time and I WILL use the straps next time so the poles stay with me after impact.
@Dinosoar, Welcome to
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Yes but you can’t use the pole while the other hand is lashed to the other end.
A
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Dinosoar, straps are also used by racers & people who don’t fall down uncontrollably at random. You can take your hand out of the strap while sliding down on your back….
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Incident 1
I fell & ended up on my back, my backpack had no external straps and turned into a toboggan, I cant remember how far I slid like an upturned beetle
Incident 2
Skiing with a Neilson ski leader & group, the piste ended at one of the cross mountain trails that led to a ski lift, beyond the trail, which formed a ridge across the piste was offpiste/unknown as you approached. I fell a few metres from the trail, slid, hit the trail which acted like a ski jump so the rep who was behind me just saw my sliding body hit the trail, take off then drop out of sight I landed, unhurt in deep snow but I'd scared/scarred the rep for life
Incident 3
Nothing funny about this one, Northergeezer & I on a lift near Arabba saw a guy fall near the top of a steep pisted run he gathered speed heading straight for another skier stood near the side of the piste who was watching the fallen skiers progress and unbelievably didn't get out of the way & flew some feet in the air as the fallen skier hit him both skiers appeared to be badly hurt as the lift took us out of sight. I can't remember, but I think other passengers were talking to the lifty as we got to the top.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Was chasing my two juniors down Loze in Courchevel a few years ago when I lost it big style, probably went 200 metres before I eventually stopped. They are still happy to remind at every opportunity.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Thankfully, I can’t remember any further incidents during his childhood skiing and he’s a pretty decent skier now!
