Racers discuss rising levels of injury
Friday December 18, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

It was the min topic of conversation in Val Gardena Itla where the men are racing this weekend. 

Athletes, coaches and the International Ski Federation met on Wednesday to discuss the situation.

For a look at who has been injured and how see this related story onPlanetsKI that looks at the problem and how it has grown.

Since we wrote it earlier this month several other skiers have been hurt.

Jean-Philippe Roy and Larisa Yurkiw from Canada were injured last weekend in Val d'Isere.

The meeting in Val Gardena examined jumps, course setting, medical procedures and safety equipment. 

Svindal shows how it is doneAs well as FIS official the racers themselves were there; the World Cup champion Aksel Lund Svindal, Werner Heel, Michael Walchhofer, Marco Buechel, Didier Cuche and Scott Macartney.

"It was a very productive meeting and we have set up a very good agenda," an official said afterwards. "Hopefully, something is doable for both the short-term approach and the long-term approach."

Past skiers have also expressed their concern.

The Austrian legend Hermann Maier has said he may get involved in the issue while the retired Italian skier, Alberto Tomba, has called on skiers to strike to get safety changes made immediately.

Some though think the high number of injures is just a co-incidence and bad luck as they are all different and there is no one common factor.

Some though do blame the injuries on the highly flexible skis used and the procedure of injecting water into the course to make it more icy.

It is a subject exercising many on the World Cup circuit with The Winter Olympics coming round next February. For many The Games are a once in a lifetime event and therefore it is extremely sad when an athletes misses out due to injury after many years of preparation.

It is a story we will follow here on PlanetSKI.

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