So I’m watching some TV coverage of cross country skiing races and it occurs to me that the racers can easily impale or slash other racers with their ski poles when they are racing in a group. All the skiers have long poles that go flying every where and it’s not as if they look where they are flinging it backwards. They easily have more than enough reach to impale or slash the guys behind. And I believe their ski poles are pointy to dig into the snow. What’s worse is that all the skiers lean forward when racing so their faces would be the most likely thing that get impaled/slashed. How often does this occur? The cross country ski races look really unwieldy when done as a group with all the long poles and skis. You practically take up the entire road with one person.
Every pole I’ve used is hollow and pretty weak, and the point isn’t really poiny. My current poles have a point about a quarter inch wide.
It’s possible, I suppose, but the skis themselves are far more dangerous. Sharp and heavy.
I always thought (and have seen for myself the one time I went skiing) that ski poles were actually kinda blunt at the end. Just pointy enough to get into the snow, not really like ice picks or anything. It would be like bumping into a tree branch or something. It could hurt, but probably won’t. And obviously doesn’t all that often.
They do have points. Not like an awl, but somewhat sharp. But the poles remain at the sides of the skier and do not go up that high. And it isn’t likely that a skier would get into a position where the poles points would touch. Finally, the poles are too light to pierce the clothing, let alone the skin.
In opposition to the consensus thus far, i have to express my opinion that indeed skiing poles have the strength and stiffness sufficient to cause major damage to any bodies face.
This is just completely wrong. Cross country skis are extremely light and do not have sharp edges.
If the skier in question’s name is Vlad, then watch out!
In theory, yes. But not in a race.
In much of cross country, the ski poles are used for primarily for balance; all the power is generated from the legs. Trying to push during a normal stride will only slow you down.
And the ski pole is set forward of you. If it’s behind you, then you’re working to move it forward – pulling it away from anyone behind you. So if there’s someone behind you, if the pole touches him at all, it will be the basket, not the pole, and it will be moving forward, not toward the skier.
Note in the first part of the video that the poles are not going above the skier’s waist. Hitting the face is unlikely – at most, it will hit someone’s leg and bounce off. Cross country skiers don’t go into the tuck position that downhill skiers use, so their face is well about the waist of any other competitor.
The poles are used to push to gain speed on a downhill, but by the time the skier lifts the ski off the snow, he’s exerted all the pushing force (no use wasting it). The tip of the pole again does not go above the skiers waist and is moving forward relative to anyone approaching.
So, while you certainly can take a ski pole and jab someone’s eye out with it, you can’t do this while skiing unless you do it deliberately.
No longer true in professional skiing. In events limited to the classic style, athletes will rely a their poles a lot, to the extent that Norwegian ski ace Petter Northug is planning on doing the 90 km Wasaloppet with no grip wax, relying solely on upper body strength.
Cross-country skis, maybe. But I know a woman whose leg was broken by a runaway downhill ski when she was a teenager.
Ask Clint Walker about getting a ski pole inside the chest.
Their poles actually follow a precise and reasonably predictable pattern designed to maximize speed with the minimum exertion required. They may appear to go off willy nilly but that’s not at all the case. It’s almost a symphony of effort at times and with minor variance most employ the same technique.
I would also offer that most know at times they’ll be in different positions in the race. To act in a manner that might injure others in the race could invite retaliation. I really don’t remember at any time seeing or hearing tell of racers that followed a pattern of behaviour that was openly a threat to other contestants.
At the start of races there are rules about staying in tracks set in the snow and only double poll (no skating) for the first 100 meters (varies by race). That allows skiers to separate and settle into running order. When passing or being passed, you’ll often see skiers revert to double polling to avoid getting tangled, but most skiers can pass without contact.