ADVENTURE SPORTS BY WINA STURGEON 1/29/08
X GAMES INSIDE GOSSIP
The dash in X-Games has been officially removed, it's now just X Games. Among the incidents not reported by featured sponsor ESPN was:
The snowboard halfpipe qualifying and results timing were totally bogus, according to both athletes and coaches. One athlete said, "The guy who won the qualifying in men's snowboard cross, Michael Schairer, won by four seconds. Winning an event like this by four seconds is unheard of. But it’s great for him. There were many softly spoken questions (about the timing). But unfortunately, at an event like this that is designed for television, there’s not much communication between the athletes, coaches and event staff.
In fact, this year was the first that there was actual dissent by the athletes over the event's allowing ESPN to put the welfare of it's broadcasts over the welfare of the athletes. Example: the skicross track was changed at the last minute to make the jumps more dramatic. It was done without consultation with the athletes or the course designer, and resulted in serious crashes, more than have ever before happened at the X Games. On just one jump, sleds took off skier Karin Huttary, who broke her pelvis; Lars Levian, who suffered a serious concussion and sprained knee, and Enak Gavaggio, who sprained his knee and hit his head.
One wonders why USSA, for whom many of these athletes compete, doesn't step in and set standards?
But there was sweet victory for U. S. snowboard 'cross rider Lindsay Jacobellis, who lost the victory at the 2006 Torino Olympics when she tried a trick at the finish and fell, allowing Tanja Frieden of Switzerland to ride on by and cop the gold. The two battled closely all the way down the course, but Jacobellis was not to be denied by Frieden again. She won, Frieden was a close second.
Frieden's board was tuned by Jeff Sadis, who is an Olympic and World Cup ski tech who did some top 'cross athlete's gear at the X Games. He also teched for third place 'cross rider Sandra Frei and fifth place Mellie Francon. He was the only tech who had three athletes qualify and compete in the finals.
He also was part of some funny insider stuff. When the skiers finally had a day off before 'cross qualifications, Sadis mused, "I hope I don't have to go to the police station and pick up the Canadians." When asked if he had been forced to do it before, Sadis hemmed and hawed and finally said, "I might have done so."
Sadis was also part of the legendary stuffed beaver hide and seek. This prank has been going on for decades among the race service techs at the Olympics, World Cups and World Championships---and now the X Games. It's a ratty old stuffed beaver that someone finds stuffed in his equipment bag. He sneakily must hide it in someone else's pack. This beaver has been around the world more times than a travel writer, and is supposed to be good luck for whoever hides it. Sadis found it in his pack, snuck it into another tech's bag, and then it disappeared. No one could find it. Sadis made a public plea for its return before the first North American World Cup at Deer Valley later this week, and sure enough, the beaver was found on the last day of the Games---by the Canadians.
NOBIS THERE WHEN POOLE DIED
Not many people know that extreme skiing legend Jeremy Nobis was part of the crew that was wilding in the backcountry when upcoming extreme skier Billy Poole died.
Poole, Nobis and another skier were filming for the next Warren Miller film after a huge powder dump. The others had successfully made the big cliff jump on the ridge between Brighton and Solitude resorts in Utah's steep and rocky Little Cottonwood Canyon. Poole, filming as he made his jump, fell into a rock garden, flipped off the rock he landed on and cartwheeled through other rocks, suffering fatal head trauma despite his helmet.
Though Nobis comes off as a bit of a hardass, few know that underneath, he is extremely sensitive, with a big and loving heart. A decade ago he was on the U. S. ski team and present when his coach, Dan Bean, was killed in a ski crash. The incident totally freaked Nobis out.
The red-headed grand master of extreme skiing has not been seen since Poole's death. Adventure Sports Weekly will be talking with Nobis, and give readers an update on how Nobis is doing and what happened in Poole's tragic death.
THE BUZZ ABOUT DV'S SKICROSS
It's not like skicross has been lying low, and snowboardcross debuted in the Torino Olympics. But the buzz about this motocross-on-skis has been growing, and now that downhill star Daron Rahlves looks to be the next 'cross star, the excitement is about to explode.
Deer Valley is holding the first ever skicross World Cup in North America this week, as part of it's annual freestyle World Cup. Practice starts Wednesday, Jan. 29. Qualifying is Feb 1, and the race is Feb 2. The track was finished days ago. Park City residents are going to the resort just to see it. More than 200 athletes are expected to compete in both freestyle and skicross.
The freestyle World Cup is one of the stellar comps of the year, packed with spectators from all over the world, who actually plan their vacations just to watch the event. The night aerials, followed by a fireworks show, is one of the best stops on the circuit.
But DV may not be prepared for either the huge number of fans or the culture of skicross. Qualifications are Friday, Feb. 1, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. The finals are Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. It's all free to the public, but if you intend to go see 'cross, get there early. And if you want something special, try the new addition to the event, the Freestyle Feast. It features a gourmet buffet lunch in the clear-walled VIP tent, plus a commemorative gift. Tickets are still available for the skicross. To reserve tickets, call (435)-645-6510, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.