Inflatable arches

[Martijn Nijs]

I have seen many of those arches "running out of air" but never heard of one causing any damage in slalom races. Most of the time they fall down really slowly as the air goes out (after the ventilator is hit by a powerfailure, or otherwise stopped).

Should we really worry about it?
As it looks really great on photos it would be a pity if we would actually forbid them.

/Jani

The Go-Fast arch at Hog Hill came down in the time it took Verena to run the course, no more than 10 to 15 seconds, she crashed into it full speed and was lucky to not get hurt.
I think she would have gotten hurt if this had happened at the bottom of the GS hill.
The man from Go-Fast then took it down and moved it up the hill to the start, very good move on his part.

As for it looking good on pictures, OK, I agree but does it matter if it is placed at the top or bottom of the course?

I saw the arch, remembered the topic about Eddy Ramirez, spoke to the organisers and within a few minutes it collapsed, why take the risk of any gravity sports rider getting even slightly hurt because of something that is only there to look good.....
Everybody signed wavers before the race, what if Verena had gotten hurt badly, who would have been responsible?
In Eddy Ramirez's case it seems to be him..........that can not be right!

In all honesty, I love the sponsors, they make these events possible, and yes, the arches look great, just place them in such a manner that they end up in the pictures being taken but can in no way hinder a rider, let alone get him or her hurt!

Just my 2 cents.

[Robert Gaisek]

We had some sort of soft-stop at the worlds in G-burg. Worked very well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVQKdSHG5t0

We also had an arch......................that NEVER worked.

[Pat Chewning]

I suggest we try to get the "foam pit" to dive into rather than the arches to go under.

If we had a sponsor who could supply a big "foam pit" with their logo, I would use it at every race. It opens up a lot of new race venues because you don't have to worry about the runout or foot-braking. You can race on street right up to the "T" intersection and have the big foam pit there to stop the racers.

I saw some video of a great one used at a race in Europe and I loved watching Ramon and Dom dive into it as they finished victorious runs! It looks like so much fun.

Foam pits rule!

[Wesley Tucker]

Every time I've been at a race with one of these the story is the same: gas-powered generator keeps arch inflated, someone forgets gas-powered generators eventually need gas, gas-powered generators putt putts to a stop, arch starts to deflate, people run around like chickens with their head cut off looking for a gas can to start the generator again.

Other than that, they work fine.

[Joe Iacovelli]

Jani,

Texas Eddy Martinez got clothes lined by one and has been off his board (and in pain) for about a year and a half.

I'm not sure the ISSA is in the business of banning arches or signage, but promoters should at least know the risk.

Joe

[Jani Soderhall]

I have seen many of those arches "running out of air" but never heard of one causing any damage in slalom races. Most of the time they fall down really slowly as the air goes out (after the ventilator is hit by a powerfailure, or otherwise stopped).

Should we really worry about it?
As it looks really great on photos it would be a pity if we would actually forbid them.

/Jani

[Martijn Nijs]

After reading about a prominent racer going down and seeing the video of skiers going down because of one collapsing I had some reservations about these things.
But, at a race weekend I attended recently one of these things deflated only a few minutes after I asked one of the organisers if it would be manned full time just in case.....

Should these things be banned from racing or just be banned from anywhere on the course where riding at any speed is done, read only allowed above the start?