80 Year Old Breaks Leg In Ski Jump

An 80 year old man broke his leg on Monday when attempting a two metre ski jump on a black run at Mt Buller ski resort in Australia.

Asked by medics why he had attempted the jump, he is reported to have replied, "Life's too short."

The man was flown by air ambulance to Melbourne for treatment after his friend raised the alarm.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

J2Ski would like to wish this Ski Hero a speedy recovery and many more years of going for it!

Was this written by a local reporter who doesn't ski or are "2 meter ski jumps" common place on Australian ski hills? or am I just behind the times? are they 2 meters in height or length?

Neil, it's gotta be height, else the stories meaningless ~ see what you mean about local reporter!

Just think how much street cred this guy gets! I used to say, I would be happy to die skiing down the north face of the Eiger, but not until I am 90 years old. That was 20 years ago. Have now moved the target age to 100!

The man was flown by air ambulance to Melbourne for treatment after his friend raised the alarm.

I heard this was his older mate. When he called emergency services, the call lasted half an hour. The batteries were running low on the hearing aid. :roll:

I'm well impressed that he's still skiing at 80. This last winter is the first year that my father didn't ski for 52 years [he's 78] I hope I'm still up to it at that age.

It was the 'ski jump' term that got me. Its like if someone had a car accident and drove over a pile of gravel at some road works and the reporter said that a motorist had driven off a 2 meter car jump. )

Dave Mac wrote:Neil, it's gotta be height, else the stories meaningless ~ see what you mean about local reporter!

Just think how much street cred this guy gets! I used to say, I would be happy to die skiing down the north face of the Eiger, but not until I am 90 years old. That was 20 years ago. Have now moved the target age to 100!

The man was flown by air ambulance to Melbourne for treatment after his friend raised the alarm.

I heard this was his older mate. When he called emergency services, the call lasted half an hour. The batteries were running low on the hearing aid. :roll:

after bring up close to the Eiger I can assure you skiing down the North Face would turn to hurtling through several thousand feet of thin air very shortly after you begin.

tino_11 wrote:

after bring up close to the Eiger I can assure you skiing down the North Face would turn to hurtling through several thousand feet of thin air very shortly after you begin.

You make my point for me. Let's say, one is 102 years old, has terminal something, can't remember one's name without referring to the writing on the hat.

What better way to leave the skiing world? Three turns, and I'm looking for the Niederau lift queue in Heaven. Cheaper than going to that whatsit place in Switzerland.

Who was it sang they want to die young? Well, if I had, I would have missed out forty years of skiing.

I'd rather be Dave Mac than Jimi Hendrix, but I really would like to be able to play his riffs.

There are so many mistakes in this painting, it makes me cringe. But it was a long time ago, so I take solace.

It hangs beside a Bob Dylan in my computer/painting room. I twinned them together, because briefly, they hung out together in London.

Wouldn't you have liked to be there?

Neiltoo wrote:I'm well impressed that he's still skiing at 80. This last winter is the first year that my father didn't ski for 52 years [he's 78] I hope I'm still up to it at that age.

It was the 'ski jump' term that got me. Its like if someone had a car accident and drove over a pile of gravel at some road works and the reporter said that a motorist had driven off a 2 meter car jump. )

I did once pass an old guy in Niederau, and stopped at the bottom and chatted. He was 94 years old, and had been the chief of police in Worgl. I have to say, he was a really good skier, albeit, a bit steadyish with the pace.

Later, found him on a picture I have of the 1974 ski instructors race prize winners. Heck, I'm on the same picture. :shock: