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Safety first ISF introduces measure to curb serious injuries
SOELDEN, Austria (Reuters) -- The International Ski Federation (FIS) has decided to limit the radius on sidecuts on Alpine skis in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the rash of serious injuries which hit the women's circuit last winter. FIS Alpine Director Toni Sailer on Friday blamed the series of crashes on the extreme sidecuts on the so-called Carver ski which has revolutionized the sport over the past years. Speaking at a meeting ahead of the weekend's opening races on an Austrian glacier in Soelden, Sailer said: "Ski racing is dangerous. We are trying to make the sport as safe as possible." The Carver ski allows skiers to reduce their radius when cornering and as a result increase their speed. The more extreme the sidecut, the smaller the radius which can be taken. It has, however, increased the pressure on the knees. Sailer said the FIS has spent all summer discussing possible safety measures and studies had been carried out at Austrian Universities in Innsbruck and Salzburg. "We analyzed every fall and accident in order to discover what had led to all these crashes," said Sailer. Skis will be inspected by FIS officials after every race. Competitors whose skis have a bigger sidecut than allowed will be disqualified. Skiers sidelined for most of last winter because of bad injuries included Austria's 1999 overall World Cup champion Alexandra Meissnitzer and Janica Kostelic. Kostelic had been leading the overall standings when she crashed during downhill training at St.Moritz in December, tearing knee ligaments and damaging cartilages. The 17-year-old plans a comeback in Saturday's women's giant slalom in Soelden but is uncertain when she will make a comeback in the speed events. Meissnitzer postponed her comeback until December while the returns of Germany's top skiers Hilde Gerg and Regina Haeusl, who both suffered knee fractures, are still uncertain. "Someone who skis fast should also know how to fall correctly. The men are better at falling than the women. The women give up fighting against a fall too quickly," said Sailer.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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