Women’s winter sports have made substantial strides since the advent of the X GAMES. According to a survey performed on a random sampling of professional snowboarders and skiers, women say they prefer to perform the exact same course runs as men. However, when the same question was phrased to shift the focus onto quantitative measures, the results took a completely different shape. Over 60% of women preferred 50-60 foot jumps, while men, on average, preferred jumps between 70 and 80 feet.
Professional skier Kristi Leskinen initiated the survey. She was curious if there was a direct correlation between women’s injuries and women’s progression in the sport. The survey indicated that while women wanted to make the same range jumps, they were reporting injuries at a frequency 3.5 times as often as men. This suggests that longer jumps could be more dangerous for women. Of course, other factors such as men’s failing to report injuries as often or their underreporting their injuries on the survey could skew this number. A more standardized study could result in much closer numbers.
Changing the jumps for women would be viewed as a setback to women’s progress in extreme sports more than a way to prevent injuries, but the length of the jump shouldn’t be the most important thing. An athlete’s comfort level with performing these tricks at the specific jump range should be the critical issue. When X GAMES administrators suggested the change, there was a huge backlash from pro women’s skiers and snowboarders. Progress in any sport comes with growing pains, regardless of an athlete’s gender.
*Scientists have no conclusive evidence as to whether or how the reduction of g forces during impacts reduces the number or degree of concussions and head injuries. GelDefenderTM products provide supplemental padding as well as cooling and comfort benefits when used with helmets and caps. Participants in activities in which head impacts can occur should always use tested and approved helmets for protection. However, no helmet or supplemental padding can protect the user from all serious head or neck injuries that can result from impacts.
