Thursday 20 April has been renamed ‘the day of all the records' in Les Arcs. The KL (flying kilometre) was won by Simone Origone at 251.40km/h (beating his brother Ivan in second place with 250.70km/h). In the same competition the women's record was broken by Swede Sanna Tidstrand at 242.59km/h.
But perhaps the most impressive speed skiing record set this season was that by Briton Kevin Alderton. The former soldier lost his sight when he went to the aid of a woman being assaulted in North London in 1998 and was beaten up by a 30-strong gang. He descended the flying kilometre course with the aid of radio instructions to earphones in his helmet, reaching 162.44 km/h (100.94 mph). “I feel absolutely amazing” he said afterwards. “It just goes to show disability is no barrier to achievement, be it the ordinary or the extraordinary.”
