Safely Skate, Slide and Glide through Winter
The snow is falling, the temperature is dropping, and it’s time to pull out those skis, sleds and skates!
While winter sports provide a wonderful opportunity to exercise and enjoy the outdoors, these activities also have the potential to cause severe injury if proper safety precautions are not practiced. Common injuries from skiing, skating and sledding include sprains and muscle strains, dislocations and fractures.
More than 440,000 people were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for winter sports-related injuries in 2010, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. This includes more than: Read more
Tips on Skiing Safely From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
A day of family skiing in Canada ended with actress Natasha Richardson hospitalized with a severe brain injury. While this type of injury may be the exception and not the rule, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers some important information and tips on how to maximize safety while on the slopes.
- Be aware of the cold temperatures and slippery surfaces those frigid temperatures can produce on the ski slopes
- Always wear proper clothing and protective gear such as: helmets, goggles and padding, and make sure equipment is in good working order and used properly.
- Avoid cold muscles, tendons and ligaments they are more susceptible to injury. To avoid this, do some light exercises for at least 3 to 5 minutes, then slowly and gently stretch the muscles to be exercised, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds
- When falling, try to fall on your side or buttocks. Roll over naturally, turning your head in the direction of the roll.
- Know and abide by all rules of the sport in which you are participating.
- Never ski, sled, ice skate, snowmobile or snowboard alone.
- Avoid participating in sports when experiencing pain or exhaustion.
- Take frequent water breaks to prevent dehydration and overheating.
- Become familiar with the whereabouts of fences, trees, rocks, open water and patches of ice.
- Stay on marked trails and avoid potential avalanche areas, such as steep hillsides with little vegetation.
- Be prepared for emergency situations and have a plan to reach medical personnel to treat injuries.
- Wear proper footwear that provides warmth and dryness, as well as ample ankle support.
- Pay attention to warnings about upcoming storms and severe drops in temperature to ensure safety.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2007:
- Snowboarding was the leading cause of winter sports injuries, sending 149,388 people to hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, clinics and other medical settings.
- Skiing came in second with 131,454 injuries.
- Other sports and activities on the list include:
- Ice skating with 58,380 injuries
- Ice hockey with 47,594 injuries
- Sledding and tobogganing with 107,890 injuries
- Snowmobiling with 34,699 injuries
For more information go to www.orthoinfo.org
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Big Air in the Big Apple: Red Bull Snowscrapers Crowns Local Snowboard Champion in New York City
In New York City, 16 illustrious snowboarders from around the globe converged at the East River Park to fight for their share of the $100,000 Red Bull Snowscrapers prize purse.
The riders dropped in from a towering nine-story structure that mirrored the dramatic New York skyline. In front of 20,000 fans, athletes such as Olympic gold medalist Shaun White and X Games Champion Travis Rice soared above the cityscape off a specially constructed ramp towards an immense 80-foot long landing area.
NEW JERSEY LOCAL TAKES FIRST AND $50K
New Jersey’s own Shayne Pospisil, who started the contest as an alternate after another competitor was unable to compete due to injury, ended up grabbing first place and $50,000 by landing a backside 900 with a clean grab. “It all came together tonight. I landed all my runs,” said Pospisil after being carried away on the shoulders of the crowd. “Having all of my friends and family here is amazing. It’s a dream come true.” Finland’s Torstein Horgmo stuck a frontside 900 tailgrab to steal second place and third place went to another east coaster, New Hampshire’s own Scotty Lago, as he landed a backside 900. Earlier in the evening, snowboarding icon Terje Haakonsen of Norway dropped into the 90-foot tall ramp with his back foot unstrapped from the binding, pulling off a one-footed method air as he kicked his rear foot out, much to the appreciation of the roaring crowd. For his difficult, throwback-style trick, Haakonsen earned Best Trick honors for the night.
BANG YOUR HEAD
NYC’s own Anthrax, known for being the first group to combine heavy metal with rap music and the thrash metal scene, headlined the music stage. They were joined by Brooklyn’s indie-pop artists Black Gold and self-proclaimed rock n’ roll saviors Valient Thorr, capping off a truly high-voltage evening.
FREE SKIING, SLEDDING AND SNOWBOARDING IN NYC
The fun doesn’t end here, because from February 16th-22nd (New York City’s public school vacation week), New York City residents can have their own opportunity to be a pro and ride the Red Bull Snowscrapers ramp. The ramp will be reconfigured into a 3-story skiing and snowboarding mountain right in the heart of NYC’s East River Park. Residents of all ages are welcome, and experts can bring their own equipment and shred on the freestyle features. An additional 150-foot long snow flume will also be on-site for sledding. Demo snowboards and sleds will be available on-site free of charge for beginners. Both the Red Bull Snowscrapers ramp and the snow flume will be open from 11:00am-4:00pm daily and are free to the public.
SWATCH TTR WORLD SNOWBOARD TOUR
Red Bull Snowscrapers joined the ranks of the most prestigious snowboard events on the planet as a 5-Star stop on the SWATCH TTR World Snowboard Tour. The TTR crowns a World Snowboard Tour Champion at the culmination of each season and pays out an end-of-season prize purse worth $200,000.
For more information please visit www.RedBullSnowscrapers.com.
SWATCH TTR:
Founded by Terje Haakonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the SWATCH TTR World Snowboard Tour is a non-profit, rider-driven organization with the mission to create the highest quality competitive snowboard environment in the world, using authenticity, accessibility and innovation as guiding principles. Since its foundation, the SWATCH TTR Tour has developed into the most exposed snowboard tour worldwide featuring global grass root and key independent freestyle snowboarding events over a ten-month period from Southern to Northern Hemisphere locations. Events are rated via a 1-through-6Star system, with points allocated accordingly, a 6Star event holding the highest (1000 SWATCH TTR points). Any rider participating in these events, from up-and-coming to professional talent, earns ranking points and a position on the SWATCH TTR World Ranking List. The top male and female rider based on an average of their best seven results of the season is crowned SWATCH TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion.
Results
#1 – Shayne Pospisil (bib#7)
#2 – Torstein Horgmo (bib#14)
#3 – Scotty Lago (bib#12)
#4 – Travis Rice (bib#10)
#5 – Daniel Ek (bib#9)
#6 – Shaun White (bib#13)
#7 – Bjorn Leines (bib#11)
#8 – Terje Haakonsen (bib#8)
#9 – Dustin Craven (bib#4)
#10 – Mikkel Bang (bib#15)
#11 – Heikki Sorsa (bib#16)
#12 – Pat Moore (bib#3)
#13 – Eero Ettala (bib#5)
#14 – Andreas Wiig (bib#6)
#15 – Jack Mitrani (bib#1)
#16 – JJ Thomas (bib#2)
Source: Red Bull
Polaris RUSH Will Revolutionize Snowmobile Industry
‘Feel the RUSH’ and Ride Longer, Harder, and Ride Again Tomorrow on the All-New Terrain-Dominating PRO-RIDE RUSH
Polaris Industries Inc. launched its Model Year 2010 600 RUSH snowmobile, the first snowmobile with a truly progressive-rate rear suspension. The 600 RUSH’s bottomless suspension is designed to absorb the toughest bumps, transferring the load to the super-rigid PRO-RIDE chassis which isolates the rider from spine tinglers. No longer will riders leave the trail feeling bruised and beat up after a long day.
“The new Polaris 600 RUSH truly marks a turning point for the snowmobile industry,” said Scott Swenson, vice president, Snowmobile Division of Polaris Industries Inc. “The progressive-rate rear suspension has been proven in Motocross; Polaris has now become the first company to bring it to snowmobiles. This innovative suspension combined with the new super-rigid PRO-RIDE chassis provides riders with an unprecedented level of rider-active control including improvements in acceleration and cornering.”
“Polaris has really nailed it with this sled,” said Levi LaVallee, Professional Sno-Cross Racer and X-Games Gold Medalist. “The Rush puts you in the ideal riding position to transfer my weight for launch, and to set the front end for cornering. It has wicked control and a suspension that refuses to give up.”
Boasting the proven 600cc Polaris Liberty engine, the 600 RUSH is designed with improved chassis rigidity and engine mounting to deliver more power to the ground. In addition to meeting the Polaris standard of industry-leading ride and handling, the 600 RUSH also delivers aggressive styling, weight reductions, and improved reliability.
The limited production 2010 Polaris 600 RUSH will be available at local dealers beginning fall, 2009, and will be offered as part of the 2010 Polaris Snow Check program beginning in March 2009. For more information and to experience a virtual test ride, go to http://www.polarisrush.com/.
Polaris 600 RUSH Specifications:
Engine & Drivetrain:
600 cc Liberty Engine with Liquid Cooling
2,599 Cyl-Displacement (cc)
2 Cleanfire Injection Carburetion
P-85 Drive
P2 Driven Clutch
Dimensions:
Est. Dry Weight (lbs./kg.) 459 / 208
Overall Length (in./cm.) 108 / 274
Overall Width (in./cm.) 48 / 121.9
Overall Height (in./cm.) 46 / 117
Ski Center Distance(in./cm.) 42.5 / 108
Fuel Capacity (gal./liters) 11 / 41.7
Suspension:
Front Suspension IQ Adjustable
Front Travel (in./cm.) 9 / 22.9
Walker Evans Piggyback Front Shocks
Pro-Ride Rear Suspension
Rear Travel (in./cm.) 14 / 35.6
Walker Evans Front Track Shock
Walker Evans Comp. Adj. Rear Track Shock.
Track (W x L x H in.) 15x121x1.25 RipSaw 2-Ply
Features:
PERC Reverse
Multi-Function Display Gauge
Black Color with Rush Graphics
Polaris reserves the right to change specifications at any time without
incurring obligations.
For more information, visit http://www.polarisrush.com/
Smucker’s Presents Winter Figure Skating Specials
Families Can See Their Favorite Skating Superstars on Television or In-Person This Winter
For the seventh consecutive winter, Smucker’s(R) is presenting its figure skating series including two television performances and a nationwide tour. In the year leading up to the 2010 Winter Games, skating fans will not find a better preview of America’s favorite Olympic sport
Beginning with two national TV specials featuring a star-studded cast of figure skating champions and well-known musical guests, families will have the opportunity to watch stars, such as Sasha Cohen, Todd Eldredge and Michael Weiss, perform on the small-screen:
- Smucker’s(R) presents Hot Ice, Cool Sounds. — December 25, 2008 from 3 – 5 p.m. EST on NBC and
- Smucker’s(R) Stars on Ice(R) — January 4, 2009, from 4 – 6 p.m. EST on NBC.
On Christmas Day, Olympic, World and National champions will perform in Smucker’s presents Hot Ice, Cool Sounds show. This exciting show also features musical performances by singing legend Peter Cetera as well as the world-renowned Cleveland Pops Orchestra. In addition, viewers can visit www.smuckers.com the day following the TV special to enter a contest to win a range of Hot Ice, Cool Sounds merchandise.
In its 23rd season, Smucker’s Stars on Ice continues to bring quality family entertainment to 40 U.S. cities throughout the country. Founded by Scott Hamilton, this year’s Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour, “On the Edge,” kicks off with a national TV special on January 4, 2009, that will excite and entertain audiences as skaters showcase their immense skills and high-intensity routines while performing in an Emmy Award-winning production.
The Smucker’s Stars on Ice national tour begins on Jan. 23, 2009 in Spokane, WA, and concludes on Apr. 11, 2009 in Portland, ME. A portion of the proceeds from each tour ticket sold will be donated by Smucker’s Stars on Ice to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For more information on tour dates and cities, guest skaters and show times for Smucker’s Stars on Ice please visit www.starsonice.com.
“The J.M. Smucker Company is proud to provide wholesome, family entertainment,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Director, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “We invite families to spend the holidays celebrating old traditions and creating new memories with their favorite figure skaters.”
Visit www.Smuckers.com for more information on Smucker’s products and recipes. Consumers can also receive discounts on tickets and enter to win a VIP trip for six people to see Smucker’s Stars on Ice in a city of their choice.
Smucker’s Stars on Ice
Founded in 1986 by skating icon Scott Hamilton, the Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour has played more than 1,000 shows over the past 23 years. Past tour performers include Olympic Gold Medalists Kristi Yamaguchi, Katarina Witt, Dorothy Hamill and Torvill & Dean. The Tour has won three Emmy Awards, one ACE Cable Award (Best Sports Special), and is recognized as the finest ice production in the world. In its 23rd season, the 2008-09 Smucker’s Stars on Ice Tour will bring quality family entertainment to 40 major U.S. markets this winter. Smucker’s Stars on Ice is produced by IMG, the world’s premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. For more information about the tour, visit www.starsonice.com.
Disson Skating
Comcast-Spectator entered into a partnership with Disson Skating in January of 2006. They have taken figure skating to a new level and have quickly become the leading producers of televised ice skating shows in the United States and Canada. A major component of this partnership is the production of 10 two-hour original ice skating specials on NBC, including Smucker’s Hot Ice, Cool Sounds. For more information, go to www.dissonskating.com
Source: The J.M. Smucker Company