"The images of Lindsey Vonn down on the snow, screaming in pain and then being airlifted off the course by helicopter after her crash at the Olympics were a stark reminder of the dangers of the downhill. So is this: Her skis didn't come off. Vonn's boots remained locked into her skis even after her pinwheeling fall at the Milan Cortina Games, pointing awkwardly in different directions as she slid to a stop in obvious agony."
"It is impossible to know whether Vonn would have suffered a less serious injury her complex tibia fracture has already required multiple surgeries had her skis been released. But the devastating injury has put a spotlight on the importance of bindings, which hold boots to the skis and remain some of the oldest technology in the sport. Officials told The Associated Press that a binding system designed to automatically release skis when a racer like Vonn loses control is still in the drawing-board phase after years of stalled discussions."
Lindsey Vonn suffered a severe crash in which her boots remained locked into her skis, causing her to be airlifted from the course and later undergo multiple surgeries for a complex tibia fracture. Photographs show ski boots remaining attached or athletes unlatching boots at finish areas. The incident underscores the risks inherent in downhill skiing and focuses attention on ski bindings, which still use longstanding technology. Officials indicate that a binding system engineered to automatically release when a racer loses control remains in the drawing-board phase after years of stalled discussions, leaving potential safety improvements unrealized.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]