 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Oh God! Yes, the first bit was awful but then I found I just couldn't watch the rest!
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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?
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Yeeeesh, couldn't take my eyes off that, the start makes the end even more compelling.
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Clearly an excellent skier and a great talent with huge PMA -  goodness knows how you come back from that injury (and why you'd want to jump off the first cliff with the potential to get injured like that in the first place).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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More interesting to see what happens when he reaches 18. Does he backup his life with college etc or push on in the family business?
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Thanks for posting - he's an astonishing skier. Many years ago (not sure he was even 10 yrs old) I saw him ski the poubelle couloir in Argentiere.
Where's that thread on here from years ago that says under-18s can't ski powder? 
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| More interesting to see what happens when he reaches 18. Does he backup his life with college etc or push on in the family business? |
I'm not convinced he needs to worry about a pension fund.
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@adithorp, harsh but perhaps reality. The older I get the more I admire the survivors. Cody seems to do everything he can to stay alive but as Bjarne will testify it's never far away in the business.
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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.
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That last line was mental
Heal up kid
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Bit of Tylenol and he'll be good to go in a week or two.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Guess it's the problem of being that good, that young, hasn't yet developed the fear. Kid seems to enjoy skiing right on the limit, hope he gets to keep doing it for many years.
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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.
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Living a long time isn't everything. We are perhaps all too focussed on living forever, these days. If anybody is sufficiently focussed on exactly what they want to do, and good enough to get to do it, bully for them. That rescue, on that slope, was a pretty amazing feat but it can't have been quick!
"Fear" is an interesting concept. The most acute fear is often of the unknown. But clearly he knows exactly what it's like to be tumbling down a mountain with two broken legs. Knows exactly what it involves, and that it could happen again next week. He knows. But he might have other fears. For example about what life would hold in store for him if he stopped hurling himself down vertical snow cliffs. Fear of boredom, fear of no long being so special?
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You know it makes sense.
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Well done to him for getting back in the saddle. Like Candide after breaking his back.
Meanwhile I continue my life as an average cautious middle aged man.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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How do they get insurance 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Layne, I imagine his sponsor gets it under a company policy (more participants so bigger spread of risk so can be priced?) or the company self insures. Even if he gets injured they get publicity so still worth it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ster, don't be so sure - If you've never watched it before, take a look at 'The Crash Reel' by Kevin Pearce - the insurance and care for athletes by their sponsors can often be very hit and miss.
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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?
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@Richard_Sideways, well I wouldn’t do it unless they covered me. If the athlete don’t check that its a cast iron cover (by whatever means) is in place or don’t care then more fool them.
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@ster, the world for these guys and girls is a bit more complex than that - multiple sponsors, multiple events, you are often only covered when you are representing your sponsor so training isn't always covered and so on.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| @ster, don't be so sure - If you've never watched it before, take a look at 'The Crash Reel' by Kevin Pearce - the insurance and care for athletes by their sponsors can often be very hit and miss. |
Exactly read up about the sad death of Sarah Burke who was a fully sponsored athlete at the top of the game.
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Because the event at which she fell was unsanctioned and hosted by Burke's sponsor Monster Energy, Burke was not covered under the insurance policy that applied to her when she competed for the Canada Freestyle Ski Association. The day after Burke's death, her agent established a website to raise $550,000 to help pay her estimated $200,000 hospital costs and create "a foundation to honour Sarah's legacy and promote the ideals she valued and embodied."[26] |
To be honest I always though Monster should have stepped up and paid the tab no questions asked.
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@Richard_Sideways, I posited to Layne how they might get insurance, whether or nor they get it/have it is a different issue and is down to them.
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^^ That’s one if the reasons why Red Bull sponsorships are so coveted, they really take care of their athletes and have ‘performance centres’ around the world to help with pre-and-rehab etc.
Most ‘pro’ skiers are nowhere near as lucky and the majority have to work on the side.
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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.
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| Quote: |
Living a long time isn't everything. We are perhaps all too focussed on living forever, these days. If anybody is sufficiently focussed on exactly what they want to do, and good enough to get to do it, bully for them.
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I generally agree. But the assumption is the person fully understands the risks they are taking. I'd question if any 16 year old is that mature. (In fact I'd question if most 21 year old guys are!  ). Hopefully he has good people around him and is truly doing it because it's what he wants rather than any external pressures.
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More interesting to see what happens when he reaches 18. Does he backup his life with college etc or push on in the family business?
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Probably makes sense to go all in on skiing. You can always go to college later in life. Also I'm sure his family can help get him a job within skiing which may be his backup.
Having seen a few junior free ride comps in Canada there's actually a lot more of these super talented kids than you might think. Having one of the founders of tgr for a dad has definitely helped put Kai in the spotlight.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
Having seen a few junior free ride comps in Canada there's actually a lot more of these super talented kids than you might think. |
No doubt there are a pack of young guns on their heels. It’s the same story in Verbier with Martin Bender, Junior FWT champ 2 years ago now on the FWT and a bunch of talented youngsters on his heels
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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.
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I mean for their own sponsored athletes; I wouldn't have thought any event insures the competing athletes, and that would always falls down to the athlete to arrange?
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| BobinCH wrote: |
I don’t think Kai Jones does comps but interested in how he would compare, considering he’s 2 years younger. |
I'm fairly sure I've seen footage in the past on his Instagram of him doing some comps. Some he wins, some he doesn't, but he's certainly not in a different league to other competitors. There's some young guys in Jackson Hole that my son follows on Insta who look from their footage to be better skiers than Kai, they just don't have a dad who is prepared to spend all day setting up a camera shot to get the quality of footage that Kia puts out.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Living a long time isn't everything. We are perhaps all too focussed on living forever, these days. If anybody is sufficiently focussed on exactly what they want to do, and good enough to get to do it, bully for them. |
Agree 100%.
Hidden between all the crazy jump scenes, and probably overlooked by most, was a quick accidental glimpse of his face. The joy was clearly evident. A life well-lived.
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"Fear" is an interesting concept. The most acute fear is often of the unknown. But clearly he knows exactly what it's like to be tumbling down a mountain with two broken legs. Knows exactly what it involves, and that it could happen again next week. He knows. But he might have other fears. For example about what life would hold in store for him if he stopped hurling himself down vertical snow cliffs. Fear of boredom, fear of no long being so special?
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That’s a good one. 
I’m not sure it’s a “fear”. But surely unpleasant enough to motivate him to get off the sofa to get “unbored”. Can’t say the same for too many others.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| pam w wrote: |
Living a long time isn't everything. We are perhaps all too focussed on living forever, these days. If anybody is sufficiently focussed on exactly what they want to do, and good enough to get to do it, bully for them. That rescue, on that slope, was a pretty amazing feat but it can't have been quick!
"Fear" is an interesting concept. The most acute fear is often of the unknown. But clearly he knows exactly what it's like to be tumbling down a mountain with two broken legs. Knows exactly what it involves, and that it could happen again next week. He knows. But he might have other fears. For example about what life would hold in store for him if he stopped hurling himself down vertical snow cliffs. Fear of boredom, fear of no long being so special? |
I think that is a bit trite TBH.
Just heard Cody Townsend talking about this on one of the Blister podcasts. He said - paraphrasing - when I was in my early 20s I didn't give a lot of thought to the consequences of dying. Over the years I have spent enough time with the family of friends who have died in the mountains. I have experienced my pain and seen theirs. It really isn't something to be taken lightly.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| jedster wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
Living a long time isn't everything. We are perhaps all too focussed on living forever, these days. If anybody is sufficiently focussed on exactly what they want to do, and good enough to get to do it, bully for them. That rescue, on that slope, was a pretty amazing feat but it can't have been quick!
"Fear" is an interesting concept. The most acute fear is often of the unknown. But clearly he knows exactly what it's like to be tumbling down a mountain with two broken legs. Knows exactly what it involves, and that it could happen again next week. He knows. But he might have other fears. For example about what life would hold in store for him if he stopped hurling himself down vertical snow cliffs. Fear of boredom, fear of no long being so special? |
I think that is a bit trite TBH.
Just heard Cody Townsend talking about this on one of the Blister podcasts. He said - paraphrasing - when I was in my early 20s I didn't give a lot of thought to the consequences of dying. Over the years I have spent enough time with the family of friends who have died in the mountains. I have experienced my pain and seen theirs. It really isn't something to be taken lightly. |
Exactly. Just by living where he does and doing what he does, Cody will have seen firsthand the impact of the deaths of Shane, CR Johnson, Arne Backstrom, Kip Garre, Allison Kreutzen and Timy Dutton. And those are just those I can think of immediately. It's kinda a universal in the community. For sure doing what they loved but also missing out on many more years of doing what they loved.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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Kai Jones 05.05.2006
WeiTien Ho 06.05.2004
Marcus Goguen 07.07.2004
This part of the thread at least has a definitive answer (although not 100% clear if Ho was born on the 6th of May, or, more likely, the 5th of June)
The straight-line down the colouir near the end of Kai's segment is nuts, one slight mistake and he would be bouncing off the walls. I do think that there are some ethical issues with freeride skiing. Few other sports have as many fatalities as among professional freeride skiers and the generally the ballsier the line the more publicity it will get and more sponsorship further opportunity it will earn for the skier. Is the viewer complicit when skiers die shooting clips or training for them? Dunno. If they are skiing ballsy lines purely for their love of the sport then probably not, but if they are taking risks to increase sponsorship and views then its a bit greyer
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@rambotion,
Ah, I guess I was out a year on Marcus and Wei Tien! But was correct that Kai is 2 years older than my son, hence 17 not 16, and hence different age categories so they never competed directly - theoretically they could this season, but I suspect Kai will be having fun making films instead
Agree that if they are doing crazier things for instagram likes, to attract sponsorship, or film spots, then that's not a good thing, but if you listen to the coach in that Whistler segment I posted above, you'll note that they are getting constant feedback on how to make good decisions.
I'm a parent (and an IFSA certified coach) so get some direct understanding of this; I also got to spend some time this year in the emergency department after my son got hauled off with a possible punctured lung last year because he didn't listen to his coaches and decided the solution to a not great qualifying run where he almost crashed due to sending a giant air, was to go even bigger!  We had a bit of a chat about the choices made there, as did his coaches! Interestingly Jr's analysis of the crash was that the size of air wasn't the problem, just a technical error in the run-in and not accounting for the takeoff changing with inspections - hmmm!!
Fortunately he didn't have a punctured lung, or even any rib damage, so was given the all clear and was competing and on the podium again the following weekend!
Though they are definitely the sort of kids that have a "different" concept of risk and fun, and prone to crazy goofing I guess, they are very analytical about line choice, risk, and their ability to pull it off. What I might think of as insane is the case because I don't have the same skills. And yes, they do some pretty crazy stuff training or skiing with friends, so not just for the camera.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
Few other sports have as many fatalities as among professional freeride skiers
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Deaths in freeride competitions are very rare. Even in the backcountry deaths seem to be predominantly avalanches, rather than due to skiing crazy lines.
FWT has certainly changed scoring over the last few years to reward more tech low risk skiing over the big sketchy stuff. Probably good for safety. Not sure it's so entertaining - give me a crazy aymar navaro run with no tricks in anyday!
I do think there is pressure on those looking to make a living as a pro to do crazy stuff. Then again, go stand at peak chair on a powder day and plenty of guys with no pro aspirations are hucking cliffs.
Also being a good skier alone isn't really enough these days. There are countless amazing skiers out there with great Instagram clips. You've got to be able to sell yourself (or have a dad who works for tgr  ). Have actually discussed this with one rep who admitted they would be more interested in sponsorship a good looking girl with millions of Instagram followers than some broke ski bum with all the skills but with no social media. Can't blame them, at the end of the day it's about selling product.
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@boarder2020, FWT is a tiny niche of the within freeride though
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| rambotion wrote: |
The straight-line down the colouir near the end of Kai's segment is nuts, one slight mistake and he would be bouncing off the walls. I do think that there are some ethical issues with freeride skiing. Few other sports have as many fatalities as among professional freeride skiers and the generally the ballsier the line the more publicity it will get and more sponsorship further opportunity it will earn for the skier. Is the viewer complicit when skiers die shooting clips or training for them? Dunno. If they are skiing ballsy lines purely for their love of the sport then probably not, but if they are taking risks to increase sponsorship and views then its a bit greyer |
I'm not actually sure there are THAT many freeride skiing fatalities, and when there are it's mostly avalanches rather than crashes. Steep skiing/alpinism seems to have a much higher fatality rate.
I know quite a few pro skiers and none of them are doing it for anything other than pure love of skiing. Financially yeah they want to be able to ski all the time rather than work a normal job (who doesn't?), but beyond that there really aren't THAT many financial incentives on the table. A tiny percentage of (freeride, racing is another matter and no idea about freestyle) pro skiers take home more than €50k/year, and I'd guess 95% less than €20k per year. Even the biggest 'outside the industry' sponsors like Red Bull are paying their athletes more like €10-40k/year rather than 6 figure stuff (for most anyway), though it sounds like the other benefits the athletes get alongside that are worth at least as much to them).
That said, with a number of the biggest brands paying him + TGR's own merch line/goggles and film royalties etc I'd guess Kai is actually in that small percentage doing well enough financially that it'd make little sense for him to drop the skiing in favour of university at this point.
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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| @boarder2020, FWT is a tiny niche of the within freeride though |
Of course the 5* tour only features a small number of athletes. But my experience is the vast number of freeriders in Canada are doing the 2,3, and 4* events. For people looking to go pro that certainly seems an obvious and popular route. Maybe Europe is different.
I suspect there are a lot more doing FWT events than shooting pro films.
Of course there are even more "freeriders" out there who just do it for fun and are not doing competitions, filming, or looking to make a career out of it.
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FAQ
