Skier Death at Sugarbush on Monday

[GlacierBoy]

Rest-in-peace, buddy.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/stor ... /96651732/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Skier dies after crash at Sugarbush
Free Press Staff 8:57 p.m. ET Jan. 16, 2017

WARREN - A skier from Massachusetts died after crashing into a tree Monday at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, the Vermont State Police said.

Jeffrey O'Connor, 39, of Hampden, Massachusetts, was skiing Monday morning at the Mount Ellen side of the resort with his family when he went off a groomed trail and struck a tree head-on, Detective Trooper Richard Stepien said in a statement Monday night. Ski patrol members and other first responders tried to save O'Connor's life but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead by the Mad River Ambulance Service.

O'Connor, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered "significant head injuries," Stepien said.

An autopsy will be performed at the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Burlington.

The death appears accidental, police said, but an investigation was continuing Monday night.

O'Connor is survived by his wife and three children under age 11, Stepien said.

[Coydog]

Geez, 3 kids under 11 - wonder if they wear helmets.

[BoozeTan]

how anyone these days goes out there without a helmet is beyond me....not only do they keep you protected but they keep you so much warmer...so much heat is lost through your head. I wear one more for the fear of some asshole crashing into me

[RENO]

how anyone these days goes out there without a helmet is beyond me....not only do they keep you protected but they keep you so much warmer...so much heat is lost through your head. I wear one more for the fear of some asshole crashing into me

Every little bit of protection helps out there! Hardly realize I have it on because it's so light and comfortable.

Just so horrible! 3 little ones. Sounds like they were with him when it happened. Sucks! RIP...

[tyrolean_skier]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

[SnoBrdr]

Geez, 3 kids under 11 - wonder if they wear helmets.

We were sitting in the KBL on Saturday and were amazed on how many people, mostly adults were not wearing helmets.

[SnoBrdr]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

[specialp]

I wear a helmet because it is warmer than a hat, and comfortable. It also helps with stray branches when skiing trees, ice in lot, and of course the bar lower on your head when you board the lift with zealous bar lowerers. While it does increase protection, a helmet is going to not do very much if you hit a tree or immovable object at speed. A helmet could have saved this guy, but also might not have. Being that he went out of control and flew off the trail, he probably was going kinda fast.

I've personally gone fast near the edge of trails, and around turns with trees or other large immovable objects. If you slip or make a mistake and hit something at speed you are in big trouble helmet or not.

[Stormchaser]

You know those pointy little branch stubs sticking out of the lower parts of evergreen trees? I may be dead, were it not for my helmet...no real tree impact, I skied too close, clipped my goggles, and damn near bored a hole through the helmet to my skull...

[DrJeff]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Currently the race helmet specifications vary by age group. The older 2 age groups (the U16/19's and the U14's) have to have a FIS approved helmet that has extra impact resistance over a "standard" helmet. The younger 2 age groups (the U12's and the U10's) until next year don't have to have the FIS approved helmets - These approved race helmets typically run between $160 and $400 depending on all the "bells and whistles" that may be part of the helmet - by far and away POC is the #1 brand for race helmets.

There is definitely a difference in my kids FIS approved helmets and my "regular" Giro helmet that I wear

[MrsG]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Currently the race helmet specifications vary by age group. The older 2 age groups (the U16/19's and the U14's) have to have a FIS approved helmet that has extra impact resistance over a "standard" helmet. The younger 2 age groups (the U12's and the U10's) until next year don't have to have the FIS approved helmets - These approved race helmets typically run between $160 and $400 depending on all the "bells and whistles" that may be part of the helmet - by far and away POC is the #1 brand for race helmets.

There is definitely a difference in my kids FIS approved helmets and my "regular" Giro helmet that I wear

Just curious, what "bells and whistles" are needed on an FIS approved helmet?

Condolences to the family and friends for the loss at Sugarbush

[SnoBrdr]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Currently the race helmet specifications vary by age group. The older 2 age groups (the U16/19's and the U14's) have to have a FIS approved helmet that has extra impact resistance over a "standard" helmet. The younger 2 age groups (the U12's and the U10's) until next year don't have to have the FIS approved helmets - These approved race helmets typically run between $160 and $400 depending on all the "bells and whistles" that may be part of the helmet - by far and away POC is the #1 brand for race helmets.

There is definitely a difference in my kids FIS approved helmets and my "regular" Giro helmet that I wear

Thanks for the info.

Any idea on how they compare to a MC helmet?

[DrJeff]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Currently the race helmet specifications vary by age group. The older 2 age groups (the U16/19's and the U14's) have to have a FIS approved helmet that has extra impact resistance over a "standard" helmet. The younger 2 age groups (the U12's and the U10's) until next year don't have to have the FIS approved helmets - These approved race helmets typically run between $160 and $400 depending on all the "bells and whistles" that may be part of the helmet - by far and away POC is the #1 brand for race helmets.

There is definitely a difference in my kids FIS approved helmets and my "regular" Giro helmet that I wear

Just curious, what "bells and whistles" are needed on an FIS approved helmet?

Condolences to the family and friends for the loss at Sugarbush

The "bells and whistles" have more to do with some extra aerodynamic features and/or extra features in the shape of the helmet to help facilitate deflecting a race gate off the top of the helmet without affecting how the goggles sit - In reality the bells are whistle features might only be relevant to maybe 2% of the highest level racer population and more than anything are sold because their in custom colors that say Julia Mancuso or Lindsey Vonn or Ted Ligety or Michaela Shiffrin wear.

And if you really want your mind boggled race gear cost wise, the carbon fiber shin guards that Michaela was wearing when she won the slalom on Superstar, will set one back $500!! Whereas most of the plastic shin guards that the racers wear are "only" $100-$150!!!

[DrJeff]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Currently the race helmet specifications vary by age group. The older 2 age groups (the U16/19's and the U14's) have to have a FIS approved helmet that has extra impact resistance over a "standard" helmet. The younger 2 age groups (the U12's and the U10's) until next year don't have to have the FIS approved helmets - These approved race helmets typically run between $160 and $400 depending on all the "bells and whistles" that may be part of the helmet - by far and away POC is the #1 brand for race helmets.

There is definitely a difference in my kids FIS approved helmets and my "regular" Giro helmet that I wear

Thanks for the info.

Any idea on how they compare to a MC helmet?

I plead 100% ignorant as to the specifics of how the construction of a MC helmet is or isn't like that of a FIS approved ski racing helmet!!

[MrsG]

So sad to see this happen to a family with young ones. A helmet probably would have saved his life. Wonder if the family did not ski much so did not invest in things that would have helped/. There are people that wear hats on warmer days and I question their reasoning. These are folks that have skied for many years too.

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Currently the race helmet specifications vary by age group. The older 2 age groups (the U16/19's and the U14's) have to have a FIS approved helmet that has extra impact resistance over a "standard" helmet. The younger 2 age groups (the U12's and the U10's) until next year don't have to have the FIS approved helmets - These approved race helmets typically run between $160 and $400 depending on all the "bells and whistles" that may be part of the helmet - by far and away POC is the #1 brand for race helmets.

There is definitely a difference in my kids FIS approved helmets and my "regular" Giro helmet that I wear

Just curious, what "bells and whistles" are needed on an FIS approved helmet?

Condolences to the family and friends for the loss at Sugarbush

The "bells and whistles" have more to do with some extra aerodynamic features and/or extra features in the shape of the helmet to help facilitate deflecting a race gate off the top of the helmet without affecting how the goggles sit - In reality the bells are whistle features might only be relevant to maybe 2% of the highest level racer population and more than anything are sold because their in custom colors that say Julia Mancuso or Lindsey Vonn or Ted Ligety or Michaela Shiffrin wear.

And if you really want your mind boggled race gear cost wise, the carbon fiber shin guards that Michaela was wearing when she won the slalom on Superstar, will set one back $500!! Whereas most of the plastic shin guards that the racers wear are "only" $100-$150!!!

Thanks Doc, that's better than hearing our little "snowflakes" need earbuds, or something