The toll ski racing takes on your body

[Mark1975]

I've also seen beer leagues run in conditions where a USSA jury meeting would be really short and consist solely of a vote to cancel due to snow conditions.

Yep. Not only snow conditions, but netting installed incorrectly around obstacles or near trees, if installed at all. Wasn't a guy killed a few years ago in Michigan after he ran into an unprotected snow gun while racing in a league? I have seen not only some bazaar stuff in beer leagues over the years, but incredibly dangerous stuff as well. Stuff that would be shut down instantly in a USSA or FIS race venue. In some of these leagues, it was a badge of honor with how injured racers were by the end of the season. Crazy.

 

[BTWilliams]

I grew up junior ski racing in a weekend program, and managed to get by with only a few significant injuries. It seems like in ski racing, the injuries really ramp up at the National (FIS / Nor-Am) level and above where the loads on the body really ramp up. As adult I got into dirt bikes....and learned how to REALLY get hurt. Skiing does not seem that bad to me any more.... Motocross / Offroad motorcycles are the ultimate meat grinder. With dirt bikes....you can get hurt without even crashing. I have never ended up in the Hospital from skiing without at least having a really epic crash. Riding Moto, I have ended up in the Hospital without even crashing (shattered distal radius, broken ankle...etc). I wont even go into the long list of injuries from actual crashes. Virtually every public MX track has a fatality every few years.... It is not well known that the reason that Steve Mahre was usually a few steps behind Phil was his banged up knees from riding Moto. Both Phil and Steve were pretty good Moto riders, and rode all the time. Steve was just unlucky enough to get more chewed up riding Moto.

"Phil and I raced in the summer months to stay sharp and stay in the competitive mind-set of 'I gotta go, gotta go, gotta go.' And the physical aspect of it, it is so much more demanding than skiing--you have to be in shape to ride motocross.""The most crazy or memorable time on a motorcycle had to be the year my brother and I were still racing the World Cup and we had a break for about two weeks. We came home, grabbed our bikes and went and raced a double weekend race in Seattle (Washington). We drove home that night, took a quick shower, jumped on a plane that same night, flew back to Seattle to catch a flight to Europe for the next World Cup. I liked motocross that much that I put my ski racing career at risk in the middle of the winter to race two races on my dirt bike."

 

[Wasatchman]

Or in the halfpipe...will the pipe wall just keep getting bigger and bigger so people can go higher and flip around more times, subjecting the athlete to worse impact? I remember when 1080s were insane on a snowboard...this year, someone landed a 2160...is a 2520 next? Then what?

I know one of the original pro halfpipe snowboarders. He was one of the best in the world in the early 90s and he tells me he doesn't even dare go into the current superpipes because it's too big for him. I think a lot of people don't even appreciate just how small the number of people who can even ride a superpipe really is.

 

[James]

Or in the halfpipe...will the pipe wall just keep getting bigger and bigger so people can go higher and flip around more times, subjecting the athlete to worse impact?

Doubtful in general, but possible with special Red Bull insanity constructions. Like they do at Buttermilk sometimes after the Xgames.
Half pipes are lucky to even survive in general. There’s very few since they require so much snowmaking and grooming to make. Like 2-3weeks of grooming and excavating, plus nearly 1 million gallons of water. A true superpipe might take 6 million gallons for snow making.
It can be a tough choice as many people complain.

Okemo has had one for probably 25 years. There was maybe a couple years where we had an alleged superpipe. That’s what they advertised, but I’ve been told it was actually only 20ft instead of 22. Dropping in from the top of that is definitely scary. Dropping in tips going straight down from the top is another level of scary.

I doubt the last few years it’s been over 16ft, mainly because of lousy weather. The thing is, if you’re not getting out of the lip, or doing tricks, the half pipe is probably the safest of all park features. Probably even compared moguls. I used to take anyone competent to make it down that terrain when it wasn’t crowded. Vail has pretty much ended that and it’s dumb.

It’s very self limiting. People have this idea they’re suddenly going to be launched out like Simon Dumont, but that’s just not going to happen. I would say small half pipes like 5-6ft can be more dangerous for the casual user since it’s so easy to get out.