Speed ski records broken at les Arcs
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.”
