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:

• 58,500 ice skating injuries;
• 91,000 injuries from sledding and tobogganing;
• 144,000 snow skiing injuries; and
• 148,000 snowboard injuries.

“When participating in winter sports, it’s important for participants to know the weather and terrain, to stay alert for changes, and to take a break when feeling pain or fatigue,” said orthopaedic surgeon A. Herbert Alexander, MD. “Before skiing, skating or sledding, make sure you’re dressed appropriately, in good physical shape, know and abide by the rules of the sport in which you’re participating, and seek medical attention immediately if necessary.

“And don’t forget safety equipment, in particular helmets for skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and even ice skating,” said Dr. Alexander.

As part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’(AAOS) on-going Prevent Injuries America!® campaign, the AAOS urges children and adults to consider these additional winter sports injury prevention tips before braving the snow:

• Check the weather for snow and ice conditions prior to heading outdoors. Pay attention to warnings about upcoming storms and severe drops in temperature to ensure safety while outdoors. Skiers and snowboarders should make adjustments for icy conditions, deep snow powder, wet snow, and adverse weather conditions.
• Dress for the occasion.  Wear several layers of light, loose and water- and wind-resistant clothing for warmth and protection. Layering allows you to accommodate your body’s constantly changing temperature.
• Wear appropriate protective gear, including goggles, helmets, gloves and padding.  Also, check that all equipment, such as ski and snowboard bindings, is in good working order.
  • Skiers and snowboarders should have their boots and bindings adjusted, maintained and tested by a ski shop that follows American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard job practices.
• Never participate alone in a winter sport.  If possible, skiers and snowboarders should ski with a partner and stay within sight of each other. If one partner loses the other, stop and wait. Also, make sure someone who is not participating is aware of your plans and probable whereabouts before heading outdoors.  Consider carrying a cell phone in case of an emergency.
• Skiers and snowboarders should observe all marked hazard and trail signs, and should never venture into closed areas. You also should respect designated slow skiing and family areas and never ski in the trees alone. Backcountry skiers and boarders should avoid avalanche zones, carry proper safety equipment and ski only with a licensed guide or partner who knows the terrain well.
• Avoid sledding near or on public streets. Sledding should be done only in designated and approved areas where there are no obstacles on the sledding path. Speeding down hills in parks that are not designed for sledding puts you at risk to be hit by cars and trucks, or to slam into parked vehicles, curbs, and fences.
• Sit in a forward-facing position when sledding and steer using your feet or the rope steering handles for better control of the sled.
• Wear a helmet.  Children especially should wear a helmet for skiing, snowboarding, sledding and even skating.
• Warm up thoroughly before playing. Cold muscles, tendons and ligaments are vulnerable to injury.  It’s important that skiers and snowboarders warm up by taking it easy on the first few runs.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after outdoor activities.  Don’t drink alcohol as it can increase your chances of hypothermia. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, especially to avoid altitude sickness when participating in sports at a high elevation.
• Keep in shape and condition muscles before partaking in winter activities. If over the age of 50, it may be wise to have a medical check-up prior to participating in a winter sport.
• Know and abide by all rules of the sport in which you are participating.
• Learn how to fall correctly to avoid injury. Take a lesson (or several) from a qualified instructor, especially in sports like skiing and snowboarding, to learn how to fall correctly and safely which can reduce the risk of injury. Falling techniques aim to protect your vulnerable body parts.
• If skiing, learn how to properly hold the poles with the strap to avoid “skiers thumb” – tearing an important ligament by falling onto an outstretched thumb.
  • Also, don’t fight a fall! Instead, try to break the fall with your arms in a flexible position, landing first on your hands and wrists, letting your elbows bend into the fall, and then rolling onto the back part of your shoulder. A fall onto stiff arms can cause a severe wrist fracture. Also, try to avoid landing with your thumb against the handle of your pole.
  • Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee occur frequently in skiing, often when a skier makes a sharp sudden movement or a hard, off-balance landing. Avoiding high-risk ski behavior, maintaining balance and control, and recognizing and responding correctly to dangerous situations, can help alleviate the risk for ACL injury.
• Seek shelter and medical attention immediately if you, or anyone with you, is experiencing hypothermia or frostbite.  Early frostbite symptoms include: numbness and tingling in you digits, lack of feeling and poor motion.
• Avoid participating in sports when you are in pain or exhausted. Many skiers are injured on the final, “one last run” — if tired, call it a day.
• Follow-up with an orthopaedic surgeon if injured during any winter excursion, especially if pain or discomfort persists.

• 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

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 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/

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

On Thursday, February 5, 2009, iconic snowboarders including Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White, freestyle / backcountry legend Travis Rice, ultra-progressive phenomenon Pat Moore along with 13 other pro riders will compete against the majestic backdrop of the New York City skyline in a contest that will prove to be the biggest winter event to come to New York City.

Sixteen of the world’s best snowboarders will compete to own a piece of the $100,000 prize purse as Anthrax and other soon to be announced music acts perform live, giving the crowd a show they’ll never forget. Red Bull Snowscrapers marks the debut of the largest snowboarding contest held in an urban setting in North America, complete with music acts and a spectator village located in East River Park (corner of Houston Street and FDR).

BIG AIR IN THE BIG APPLE
OWNING THE MANHATTAN SKYLINE

For the first-time ever, Red Bull will create a towering 90-foot tall, state-of-the-art structure for top riders to own the iconic Manhattan skyline. The athletes will charge down the nine-story structure before flying off the specially constructed ramp toward an immense 80-foot long hip landing area. The innovative hip, built by world-renowned designers Frank Wells and Mike Bettera of Snow Park Technology, allows riders multiple angles of trajectory, landing on either the right or left side of the massive 45-degree spine. Additionally, the ramp design will allow spectators to get up close and personal, giving fans an opportunity to experience the action first hand as the riders spin roughly four stories into the sky.

A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

New York spectators may deem them insane, but for the competitors, pushing the limits is a constant frame of mind. Although both their skill and style will be put to the test, the challenge here lies in the Red Bull Snowscrapers unique double-sided pyramid landing that pushes the envelope of big-air competition and rider adaptability.

With so many angles of approach, options, and opportunity, the athlete who ultimately conquers the ramp may be determined by their creative state of mind. And that creativity will be rewarded handsomely with a hefty $50,000 awarded to the winner. With so much on the line, Red Bull left nothing to chance, and will be enlisting a panel of internationally licensed judges to score the event.

For more information please visit www.RedBullSnowscrapers.com.

Snow sports shoppers are willing to spend their money on snow sports equipment, apparel and accessories even when the overall economy is significantly down. August to October snow sports sales of $507 million were up 9% overall bolstered by very strong sales of carryover equipment and gear for juniors. “Snow sports shoppers went out looking for bargains and they were willing to buy when they found them,” said Kelly Davis, Director of Research for SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the not-for-profit industry trade group represents manufacturers and distributors of snow sports products.

August to October 2008 retail sales in the snow sports industry were driven by pre-season clearance sales. Sales of carryover gear accounted for a significant portion of the observed increases in snow sports equipment sales. Sales like the “SkiBonkers” sale in Seattle, which are dominated by leftover inventory from the past season, help consumers find bargains on carryover items. Carryover is officially defined as any item that sells for less than the average retail cost for that item. Carryover accounted for 28% of skis, 23% of snowboards, 24% of ski boots, and 26% of snowboard boots sold August to October 2008. Compare that to last season’s August to October results when carryover sales accounted for just 16% of skis and 19% of snowboards sold and millions fewer dollars spent.

Parents did not slow their spending on equipment and apparel for the kids. Junior ski sales were up 34% in dollars, junior snowboard sales increased 17% in dollars, juniors parka sales were up 16% in dollars and sales of junior snow suits increased more than 40% in units and in dollars. Mom and Dad may be planning to forgo new skis and boards this season, but they are making sure their kids have the right gear.

SIA has monitored the snow sports retail market for more than 30 years and historically, economic conditions have far less impact on the market than snowfall. When the snow is good, the snow sports market does well even if the economic outlook is bleak. The current recession has demonstrated clearly that the world is inextricably connected economically as the impact of the U.S. foreclosure crisis spread across the globe. Even in a global economic downturn the snow sports demographic continued to buy snow sports gear and history tells us that if it snows, then they will use what they purchased on the slopes.

During a recession, the snow sports market is among the more resilient retail markets. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, overall October retail sales increased 1.6% compared with October 2007, and the sporting goods retail market increased 2.2%. The snow sports market was up 9% compared to August to October 2007. Keep in mind that these data are measures of sales from August through October and that the global economy was under significantly more pressure in November. “We observed other retail market segments move downward significantly last month and we plan to keep a close watch on the market. We anticipate reporting November sales during the first week of January 2009,” said David Ingemie, President of SIA.

Equipment sales were healthy August to October with a 2% increase in alpine ski and 11% increase in snowboard equipment. Apparel sales were up 14% in units and 9% in dollars indicating strong sales on discounted prices. Accessories such as helmets and goggles were particularly strong while auto racks and snowshoe sales declined.

The Internet channel continued to grow at an astounding pace gaining 27% in dollars and 36% in units compared to August to October 2007. Overall, consumers spent $131 million on snow sports equipment, apparel and accessories online. Internet sales comprised 26% of all the dollars consumers spent on snow sports products in the U.S. between August 1 and October 31, 2008.

Specialty shops brought in the lion’s share of snow sports dollars, consumers spent $297 million in snow sports specialty shops August to October compared with $286 million over the same time period in 2007. Alpine ski sales were flat in specialty shops, snowboard sales increased about 7% in dollars and 2% in units sold, and apparel sales, which accounted for almost 40% of all dollars spent in specialty shops, increased by just 3%.

Chain stores are selling far less snow sports equipment this season. Ski sales decreased 21% in dollars, snowboard sales slid 17% in dollars, and equipment accessories sales dropped 8%. One bright sport in chain store sales was Nordic ski equipment that increased 48% in units and 67% in dollars. At $78 million, chain store sales accounted for 15% of all dollars spent on snow sports goods in the U.S. market August to October. Apparel sales accounted for 56% of all chain store snow sports sales and enjoyed a 13% increase in units and 10% increase in dollars spent August to October 2008.

The market data presented in this report comes from the SIA Retail Audit conducted by the Leisure Trends Group. Each season, Leisure Trends gathers data between August 1 and March 31 from a representative panel of more than 1,200 snow sports retailers who provide sales data directly from their Point of Sale systems. The panel and the method for extrapolating the results out to the entire industry is based on a triennial census of snow sports retailers designed to accurately define the size and structure of the snow sports retail marketplace.

Source: SnowSports Industries America

Great news for all winter sports fans: this coming weekend (Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th November) the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental in Tyrol starts the winter skiing season. Around 40 lift systems are waiting for snow-hungry winter sports fans – along with outstanding piste conditions.

The snow gods have really made an effort this year. The precipitation over the last few days together with the freezing temperatures mean that the first winter sports fans will find optimal piste conditions – a number of connections between runs and a few of the lower runs down to the valley are already open. Initially the facilities will only be open during this coming the weekend, with full operations commencing with the official start of the season on Saturday 6th December.

An early highlight this winter will be the well loved SkiOpening from 12th to 14th December. Ski tests with a diverse range of brands provide the perfect opportunity to explore the Skiwelt’s new pistes and courses. A public favourite is the floodlit parallel-slalom on Friday (12th December), in which everyone can test their form in race conditions. There will also be music as part of the evening programme (free entry!). On Friday the “Jungen Zillertalern” will provide a taste of genuine Tyrolean folk music and on Saturday there will be rocking party sounds courtesy of “Frontal” and the “Hermes House Band”.

Current information about lifts and ski runs can be found at http://www.skiwelt.at

SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental is the largest area of connected ski runs in Austria. It has 91 lifts and over 279 kilometres of ski runs of all colours, the majority of which have modern snow-cannon facilities (including all grades of difficulty, with 210 kilometres of piste that can be furnished with artificial snow, 11 km can be made ready for skiing within just 3 days).