Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Before I write anything else I must congratulate George and his team for the magnificent job they have done in maintaining the slopes in Pamporovo this season.

2 years ago we just would not have skied due to the lack of snow and the lack of using what snow that was available. But this season we were able to have a fun-packed week and the skiing was terrific. Granted there was some ice around and some runs were closed, but there was more than enough to keep everyone happy and the majority of runs were excellent.

The big point that was highlighted to me however was that as not all runs were open (especially the back blue) it did mean that there were far more accident that I have ever witnessed before. One such accident saw Sue, (one of our party) completely wiped out by a boarder whilst she was skiing a narrow run through the trees, leaving her with a broken and dislocated arm, Accidents do happen of course, but to watch someone boarding away leaving a woman screaming in agony from a collision that he caused was an absolute disgrace to our sport. I actually witnessed the collision and poor Sue was doing nothing other than a standard turn when she was hit from behind. The guy just stood up, looked at Sue screaming in agony on the ground and simply left her there! Nice one sir - I hope you're proud of that!

Which brings me to another point - and I'm not taking any sides on this, but with limited runs the resort slopes just simply cannot accomodate boarders and skiers on the same runs. The styles of our chosen sport are very different and the narrow pistes are much to do with the amount of accidents that seem to have esculated this season to a new level. In the 2 hours I spent with Sue in the medical centre there were 4 other cases of serious injuries caused by collisions - and if this continues then Pamporovo will gain a reputation as a dangerous resort that it doesn't deserve - but sadly facts are facts.

That aside we had a terrific week, the Markony just blew us away with the food which was the best food I have ever had in any hotel I have ever stayed in anywhere in the world. it was nothing short of a culernary masterpiece every single night. Massive choice of curry, chicken, steak, liver, salads, roasts, - you name it, it was available and all individually cooked for you in person. 5 courses most nights and every one simply delicious.

We met loads of new folk - too many to mention, however we enjoyed the company of Mike and Christine in the Markony and Dave and Dee from Chester - smashing people!

So - it's 2012 - Markony - here we come again.

And please Pamporovo - sort out some decent slopes that the boarders can enjoy. They used the snow from the back blue to cover the other slopes which was good on one hand, but it took away the boarders main practice slope and that meant a lot more congestion and unfortunately - accidents. I think in future they need to re-think which slopes they close in order to collect the snow from - but keep the back blue open for the reasons I have stated.

As we left at 5am this moring it was raining hard a base level but snowing very hard up the mountain - so I hope all those visiting soon will enjoy the resort to it's full.


Pete

I am a boarder and to be fair this sort of incident isn't caused wholly by boarders. A few years ago in Pamps I was taken out from behind by a skier who had the cheek to blame me because I didn't move out of his way when he shouted from behind!! I didn't have any serious injury but it certainly hurt. The skier in question was a beginner and didn't have full control. This can happen with both learner skiers and boarders and especially on crowded pistes. I don't think the answer is separate slopes for each. Really learners should be able to control their direction and speed before they progress up the montain.

So you are happy that he didn't even bother to check on her severe injuries but simply chose to run away like a coward? I saw the incident - you didn't - and it was 100% the boarders fault. Wiped out on a green run whilst she was hardly moving and he was going like a bat out of hell.
Sue is a competent skier (able to ski the wall) so she is certainly no beginner. We all make mistakes - we all have the occasional accident - but nearly all accidents on the slopes appear to be between boarders and skiers rather than like for like and if keeping them apart on congested slopes is not the answer then I await with baited breath for your alternative.

As I said in my original post - it was the lack of any concern whatsoever for an obviously badly injured lady that really got my back up - regardless of who was to blame. If that had been a 6 year old child I am convinced we would now be speaking about a fatality rather than just broken bones! Unfortunately if we just bury our heads in the sand over these types of avoidable accidents then someone is going to get killed.

With regards to learners having to be able to control their speed and direction before they are permitted to accend the mountain - please tell me where they are supposed to learn this? This takes time and space and can certainly not be achieved on a 25 yard practice area or on a nursery slope that can barely support 25 people and used by both skiers and boarders.

Prevention is far better than cure - but hey, lets wait until something really, really serious happens before we act, after all, that the good old British way isn't it?

Pete

Pete

I wholly agree with you this isn't the way to behave to somebody you have just wiped out. I am not suggesting that Sue was at fault at all but I am suggesting it can happen with both boarders and skiers. So separating the 2 is just going to result in skiers being wiped out by skiers and boarders wiped out by other boarders.

I personally have been boarding for 20+ years and haven't ever wiped out anybody but have been a victim of boarders and skiers. In reality though there is never going to be a separation of boarders and skiers on slopes. I also agree that people have to learn and the only way to do this is on the mountain; however I have seen boarders and skiers progressing up the mountain and on runs that are far above the capabilities. I have ofter heard learners bragging about doing Black runs after a couple of days of lessons, which is crazy. I think the responsibility lies with ski schools to educate the learners to ski/board on slopes which match their abilities.

I also believe that in Pamps there are areas where collisions are more likely to happen because of the design of some of the runs with winding narrow sections; it takes a certain degree of skill to navigate these and quite often these runs are populate with both boarders and skiers who have only just mastered the basics and aren't fully able to control their speed and direction. I really don't think there is any easy answer to this.

Firstly give my best wishes to Sue for a speedy recovery, this kind of thing will never stop for instance here in Bansko you have skiers and boarders coming of a red into a blue and going like a bat out of hell not wanting or bothering to slow down and carrying on at high speed. Trying to navigate through the ski school traffic, it only needs some small child to fall and take the faster one out and i hate to think what may happen,
Common sense should come into it but we all know that is not going to happen

always boarders, there a pain, i dont mind the good ones because they will get out of situations, it the piss poor ones that come right down the middle of the slope out of control, it not like they can stop like a skier. you hardly ever see a novice skier death ploughing down the centre of a red or a black, skiers come in all different abilities boarders seem to be very good or bad, dont get me wrong bparders do have a place on the mountain, its just i know of alot of occasions of a boarder taking out a skier and with out an apology.
Same hope sues ok , but when ever im on the slopes now i always listen out for a kamikazi boarder.