Basically I wrote down a story told by Aadne – it gives you some more background and also some overview on how a film group and professional riders work together in the mountains.

Aadne Olsrud worked as a back-up guide for the Missing Link film group

The team of eight persons was filming for Missing link. The team consisted of following people: three riders, Fred Syversen, Dennis Risvol and Lars Fidjestøl; the head cameraman was Norwegian Peter Nyquist (quite famous in Norway) and his assistant Finnish Jani Johanssen (Btw. he is a great telemarker too!); and Jarkko Henttonen and Aadne Olsrud worked as guides. Helicopter pilot was a local guy called Mathias.

The mountain they had been sessioning is called Blåbærfjellet (”Blueberry Fell”). The accident happened on the mountain’s northeast face. One day earlier the riders had been warming up with mellower lines, and by the friday the 7th of May, the riders were ready for some harder lines. Aadne worked as a back-up guy for the filming crew, waiting with his snowmobile at the bottom of the mountain, ready to pick up riders and filmers and move them quickly to the new filming zones and/or pick up zones for the helicopter.

The conditions had been great for the whole area in early May: snow was good, the base was deep and the conditions had been stable for a while – perfect spring skiing conditions for Northern Norway.

Fred Syversen had eyed the line in question for days. And on Friday he lent Aadne’s binoculars and checked the line once more intensively and thoroughly for thirty minutes, then deciding, “calculated risk but I am ready for it”.

The accident scene – what happened right after Fred Syversen’s crash?

The line itself is something one would call “hairy”, “gnarly” or something similar in “skier’s jargon”…it is about 40-45 degrees steep, has three back to back mandatory airs, and is in Aadne’s own words “just wide enough for good turns – for a skier like Fred”. What makes it really hard though is the short distance between the cliff drops, by Fred’s own estimate there was enough space for maybe just one or two quick turns before hitting another eight to ten meter (around 30 feet) air.

When Fred crashed Aadne was waiting to carry cameraman Peter to another location on his sled. Aadne didn’t see the fall but hear shouting and saw a small avalanhe coming out of the chute.  Then he saw Fred lying at the bottom of the line and cameraman Peter running to him. Fred seemed to be able to move his hands and legs though. Aadne drove immediately to the waiting heli where they had a radio connection and heard Fred reporting, “I am OK“.

Aadne then tried to drive the sled up the hill to where Fred was lying. But the hill was so steep that he had to stop about 200 meters before Fred’s location. Fred then managed(!) to walk down the steep hill (with deep soft snow) to the waiting snowmobile. Aadne was just thinking to get the man to the helicopter and back to the base camp they had down in the valley. He also called an ambulance. It took only thirty minutes for the ambulance to arrive in the base lodge. (Scandinavian public health care system has its good sides)

The aftermath – analyzing and calculating figures of the Fred Syversen’s crazy tumble

When Aadne saw the video clip of the crash, he did some analyzing from the screen.  He wonders mostly Fred’s cat like ability to hit everything skis first. It is also evident that to take this much of abuse requires the physics of a high level athlete. We both agree that even a normal, relatively fit skier would probably had much more serious injuries. So it is not totally about the luck either!

As for trying to find someone or something to blame, Aadne simply refuses, “it was no ones fault“. In the chute/couloir the snow was probably a bit dryer and deeper than anybody thought causing more snow than expected to wash out in the air from the spindrift. Everything also happened very fast – a skier going at around 60 km / hour and the whole scene lasting only about 20-30 seconds.

There wasn’t just that much time to react once Fred was at speed. He took the calculated risk and this time it didn’t go as well as planned. The most important thing is that Fred is alive and skiing again soon, and that the whole team worked effortlessly together even in the sudden accident situation.

The fall itself is hard to grasp. Based on Aadne’s calculations the fall was about 250 meters of vertical and around 350-400 meters of distance.

PS. If you are interested in Tamokdalen as a skiing/riding or climbing location check out this cool facebook group The Northern Playground

Photos in the post by Aadne Olsrud, used by permission. Thanks Aadne – we look forward to ski with you in the future!

Fred Syversen goes big again and crashes hard

The man who did the accidental world record on cliff dropping two season ago, Fred Syversen, has the ability to  make some buzz. Fred  has the reputation to  go all or nothing every time he skis.

Check out this epic cartwheel crash in the video clip  below. This happened during a Missing Link film shoot in northern Norwegian location called Tamokdalen. The line in question and the fall is shown from 1:45 to the very end of the clip.

I though I would break every bone in my body, Fred Syversen admits

Norwegian magazine vg.no tells us a few details in their article about the accident:

The accident happened on friday the 7th of May while skiing a line Fred himself called “hairy”  - a narrow and steep chute including a “three stager” cliff drop. Before the first mandatory air the helicopter filming above sprayed so much snow around that Fred couldn’t see anything. “This is a line where falling is absolutely out of question. Therefore, the helicopter coming so near should never happen! It was a total whiteout. So, I fell anyway and now I am very lucky to have no further damage”, explains Syversen when watching the video of the fall first time.

Again, Fred survived with relatively few injuries – bruised shoulder and hand combined with some scratches on his face.

Fred says that the high speed might have saved him from more serious injuries. At speed the momentum goes more forward than just hard down. However, Fred still admits that he was afraid of breaking every bone in his body (Note: And we believe that!). In the end of the fall, entering the “runout” zone, Fred also had some good luck when avoiding the sharp rocks lurking in both sides of his path.

Fred Syversen looks forward for a quick recovery – another freeride competition in June?

After all Fred doesn’t blame the helicopter pilot for the accident. Everyone who was on the filming team has spoken out about what happened.

“What is happening (in the video) is that I try to stop desperately because of not seeing anything in the snow cloud. Eventually I realize that I just can’t stop and choose to take the downhill option…”

After landing the first drop Fred started a dramatic series  of  cartwheels for several hundred meters until he finally stopped. First Fred was afraid of dislocating his shoulder but a check in hospital excluded this. Fred is still out of skiing for a while to heal the shoulder and hand. But he looks forward to be back in a freeride camp in Stryn, Norway held on the 10th of June.

We hope fast recovery for Fred and wish all the luck in the future too. Seems like being a professional freerider requires quite a lot of it – and a built of a tank in addition!

Ski photo by Aadne Olsrud, other photos are screenshots from the video. Ps. I just chatted with Aadne. He was on the accident site and picked up Fred on his snowmobile after the fall and drove him to the heli. I’ll try to talk with him soon and ask some more questions!

Fred Syversen sent me message some time ago and asked if I could help promoting his new sponsor Whitedot skis. “Yeah, why not“, I said. Fred had told me about Whitedot skis already on November, but I didn’t pay too much attention to his new guns. After he sent me these shots below I decided to take a closer look.

White Dot Freeride is the long-held dream of two friends and avid skiers, Andrew Phyn and Lloyd Macfarlane. Guys spent hours and hours designing and perfecting their ski ideas on CAD software, and finally in 2008 they were ready to launch Whitedot.

White Dot Freeride company is driven by the personal experience and passion for skiing and mountains. Guys have long experience on skiing, and although building production is a helluva project, they still haven’t left the mountains. By having their operational center in the legendary Chamonix valley White Dot Freedire has a direct contact with some of the best freeriders of the world.

Whitedot skis are the result of long product development, intensive testing and continuous perfecting. The company doesn’t want to sell any “gimmicks”, but high quality skis. Even the simple painting tells people that these skis have nothing new or fancy. They are simply good quality skis for freeriders.

Whitedot skis are manufactured with the finest quality material, and their European manufacturer was selected after a long and detailed search for just the right supplier. They had to be sure that the factory that they entrusted to produce their skis could meet our strict quality standards. The factory came up trumps with their quality control and post production support, and they also came with a highly recommended reference from ISOsport Austria.

Check what White Dot Freeride says about their manufacturing in their website.

“Our bases are sintered ISO7200, to produce the high speeds and durability that we demand. Our tip to tail cores are made from ash and poplar for durability, dampening and the correct stiffness. The wood is grown from sustainable forests and milled in close proximity to the factory to help lower our carbon footprint. And, if that wasn’t enough, all of our composites are sourced from the very best suppliers in Europe.”

Got interested in Whitedot skis? Check if they have a dealer in your country. If you are visiting Chamonix you can get a pair of demo skis from White Dot Team Chalet, and while visiting you can shake hands with Whitedot team riders like Fred Syversen.

Oh, and how about the ski models? There are three different Whitedot ski models, namely The One, The Preacher and The Remeeder. It is better that you check the technical details straight from White dot Freeride website.

You can contact White Dot Freeride with the following contact information. It’s a small but ambitious company with high motivation to serve their customers, so you can expect warm and friendly response. If you’re interested in Whitedot skis, just send your questions by email and you should soon receive an answer.

Email: info@whitedotfreeride.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7971 471306
Skype: whitedotfreeride
Web: Whitedotfreeride.com

Photo: Colin Samuels

Few days ago here in Homeboy headquarters we wondering “whazzup with our buddy Fred?” and decided to ask him. Here’s a quick update from Fred Syversen, the Norwegian Viking.

Homeboy: What’s up, Fred? How is life treating you?

Fred: I am preparing for winter, it’s already on here in Norway. Couple of ski stations opening this weekend. Otherwise I have been busy with SteepZone, our company. Next week I am going to a skishow in London in order to promote my new skisponsor Whitedot Freeride, and later I will travel to the factory to produce a pro model. This is the same factory that produces Burton snowboards. Otherwise looking for some sponsors for this winter.

Homeboy: What kind of plans have you got for the upcoming ski season?

Fred: Well, it depends a little on the snow conditions.. Most probably I will start the season here in Norway and then I will be on my way to Chamonix. I have also planned a roadtrip in Canada in end of January, and that will include visiting a number of ski resorts. I am really looking forward to that trip.

Fred: There will also be some filming in Norway in the end of February and probably March. I will also film with Perfect Moment / Nuit de la Glisse, I’ll go on a cinema film tour with them in the beginning of this season.

Homeboy: What were the highlights of last season?

Fred: Last winter was very good in Europe, and I had a good season. I had some really good filming with Perfect Moment / Nuit de la Glisse and some good pics done, so it was a blast, even though I would have liked to have some more filming done. I’ll see to that this winter!

Homeboy: Couple of years ago you broke the world record on cliff dropping. Did anything change in your life after that huge 117 meter fall?

Fred: It’s been going off ever since, it’s pretty crazy. Now I hope more people can get to know my skiing

Homeboy: Who do you think will win Freeride World Tour this year?

Fred: I am not so much into comps, much more interested in filming. Filming is forever, nobody remembers who won a comp last year. Is it 2 or 3 world tours now, I lost track. Honestly, I have no idea who is up for a win this winter, it’s a bunch of good skiers out there. But I wish everybody a good winter

Thanks Fred for this quick update! We hope you have a great season. See you in Chamonix!

In the video below Fred Syversen talks about his world record jump, his feelings right before the jump and in the air, as well as the aftermath. Fred was interviewed by Retro Sunday fellows in Chamonix last March.

Remember to check also our in depth interview with Fred Syversen if you haven’t already seen it!

It was a beautiful morning March 18th, 2008. The sun was shining over the powder-covered Swiss Alps as Norwegian freeskier Fred Syversen was preparing to ski the perfect line. He had been checking the mountain from different angles and thinking about his line in advance. Fred always wants to avoid undue risks. On that morning he was skiing with Perfect Moment Production’s filming group who were shooting material for their Nuit de la Glisse ski movie.

Fred Syversen is one of the best professional freeskiers in the world, but he had no clue what would happen that morning. He didn’t expect that very soon he would ski a fine line between life and death. He didn’t know that he would be closer to death than ever before.

A helicopter was flying above Fred Syversen and members of the filming crew. The camera man was ready, but Fred waited. He worried about the snow condition, but after a while he decided to go. The camera started rolling. Fred began skiing a beautiful, untouched powder field with the helicopter flying overhead. He skied smoothly but fast, drawing his own tracks on the snow. At that moment, Fred was focused on doing what he knows best, skiing the big mountains.

Fred continued to ski the white paradise. At one point he got very close to the edge of the mountain with over a 100-meter drop on his right side, but he continued towards the cliff he was supposed to drop off. For some reason Fred followed the wrong line. He should have skied more to the left when he realized he was entering the wrong exit cliff. He planned to drop a rather easy cliff, but the one he was approaching happened to be 32 meters higher than Jamie Pierre’s world record. Fred Syversen was skiing 80 km/h, so he had no choice. Either he was going to end up in an uncontrolled crash or he was going to try his best. And hope for the best. Fred decided to survive, and the rest is history.

Fred Syversen – Alpine race skier turned to freeskiing

Last spring we heard rumors of a Norwegian skier setting the new world record in cliff dropping. Many didn’t believe this, but a few weeks ago, the video clip was released  and people’s jaws dropped. It was true. Fred Syversen dropped 107 meters (351 feet) and set the new world record on cliff dropping. Boy, we got interested. We wanted to talk with Fred. Who is this dude who survived such a gigantic cliff drop?

Fred Syversen, age 42, was born in Norway and currently he lives in both Norway and France. Fred is a professional athlete, and his profession is freeskiing. In addition to skiing he runs a small business with his friend. Fred started skiing at the age of 3-4, and it was love at first sight. Soon Fred got into races and did a lot of FIS competitions over the next 11 years.

Just like any other young skier, Fred also had few skiers he admired. The Swedish alpine race skier Ingemar Stenmark was his true role-model and it is no wonder why, because Stenmark was truly invincible. His 86 world cup victories say it all. Fred is also a staunch admirer of Axel Lund Svindal and his skiing. He also mentions a couple freeskiing pioneers, Jean Marc Boivin and Sylvain Saudin, who took the sport to the next level. After thinking a few more seconds, Fred also mentions Lasse Kjus and Kjetil André Aamodt.

Fred found himself studying in France. Back in those days he met Denis Rey and Sebastien Michaud who took him to ski La Grave. This was his first contact with freeskiing, and soon he found himself riding the big mountains. Fred is known from his high speed, which he says is natural for a former race skier. He is sponsored by Dynastar, Lange and Perfect Moment clothing.

What is the driving force behind all those extreme things you do, Fred Syversen?

What makes Fred Syversen push his limits? It is really fascinating to watch Fred ski the big mountains year after year, but where does all that motivation come from?

“I have a competitive spirit.  I guess that gives me a lot of force“.

Years ago Fred Syversen just loved to ski, but nowadays he is deeply involved in gear testing and research & development. Skiing has become his job. All this has taken Fred’s skiing to a new level, but he is still deeply in love with the sport. As Fred says, he wouldn’t do this without his love and passion for skiing.

Many active skiers also have a number of other interests and hobbies, because there is a lot of “waiting time” in skiing. During summer time, skiers typically do sports like water skiing or mountain biking. For example, the living legend of skiing, Glen Plake, is known as an active water skier. Fred Syversen also has a number of side interests, such as base jumping, mountain biking, climbing, wakeboarding, longboarding and kayaking.

Fred Syversen likes to be active. When he gets tired of skiing, Fred grabs his bike or parachute and goes out to enjoy life. Although Fred is a sporty man, it’s not only sports that keep him busy. This fall Fred founded a company with a friend. He didn’t tell us what SteepZone is going to offer to its clients, but I guess the name says it all.

Death is always lurking right around the corner, but it’s part of the game

One of the biggest name in skiing so far, Doug Coombs, passed away last winter. Doug fell off a cliff and died immediately. The death of Doug Coombs was a shock to us all, although everybody knows that risks in big mountain skiing are sometimes pretty high. Doug knew this too, but I am sure we can agree that he lived his life exactly as he wanted to. Doug enjoyed every bit of the sport.

Fred Syversen almost died as well when he unintentionally set the new world record on cliff dropping. Surviving 107 meters drop was a miracle and a close call. We asked Fred how he feels about the recent deaths of many pro skiers such as Doug Coombs, John Nicoletta and Billy Poole.

“I feel sorry, it is a small community and deaths affect us all, even if you never met them. I knew Doug from La Grave and got to meet Billy in Riksgrensen, Sweden. Those were great guys“.

Death is always lurking around the corner, but pro skiers know it. Risks levels can sometimes be high, but pro skiers always calculate it. Skiers like Fred Syversen take only calculated risks. Accidents happen, as with Doug Coombs, but in skiing steep mountain faces or dropping big cliffs, risks are minimized as much as possible.

It’s a beautiful life out there, so enjoy it

Why are we here? Finding the right answer to this phenomenal question of life on Earth is impossible, but I think we should at least enjoy the life we have been given. Skiing, music and photography, and  of course my children, are my vehicles for enjoying life. I wanted to know what Fred Syversen’s best single skiing related memory is , and his answer was clear and fast:

“Skiing Aiguille d’Argentière, couloir Barbey in 8 turns“.

Not all people have a straight and well thought out answer to this question. It seems to me that Fred has pondered this before. Skiing the couloir Barbey of Aiguille d’Argentiere in 8 turns must have been an extraordinary experience. Barbey is a pretty wide and long run, although not very steep, which makes it perfect couloir to ski fast. You can see Fred ski the couloir in The Contact ski film by Perfect Moment.

Skiers like Fred Syversen have traveled the globe looking for perfect moments in the mountains. They have visited dozens or even  over a hundred ski resorts in many countries. If you want to get a tip on a good place to ski, ask pro skiers. We asked Fred to name the three best ski resorts, not including backcountry skiing. Again, Fred gave a fast and wellthought out answer.

“La Grave, Narvik and Hemsedal“.

La Grave, a small ski resort in France, is known as an off-piste skiing Mecca. Although skiing in La Grave can be very dangerous due to the lack of formal avalanche control, it is very famous among the top big mountain skiers of the world. Every big mountain skier knows La Grave.

Narvik and Hemsedal are both Norwegian ski resorts. While Narvik is small northern ski resort providing excellent off-piste skiing, Hemsedal is the most popular ski resort in Norway. Narvik and its off-piste runs are well known in Scandinavia, and Hemsedal was elected as the world’s 7th best snowboard destination (according to Skistar.Com).

Fred Syversen has skied many mountains and off-piste runs. He says the most exotic places he has skied are Lyngen and Tamok valley in northern Norway, as well as the west coast range of Norway. Although Fred might like to promote his homeland, Norway definitely provides some awesome places to ski. For example, skiing the very cold Tamok and Lyngen is an experience you cannot get in central Europe and Northern America. In fact, Tamok and Lyngen are comparable to Alaska, although the mountains are a bit smaller.

Can you imagine how would it feel to fall 107 meters, get up, and ski down to a helicopter?

Last year Fred Syversen was filming Nuit de la Glisse ski movie with Perfect Moment Productions in Swiss mountains. Although they had safety up there and everything was well-planned, something went very wrong. After skiing a perfect line Fred picked the wrong exit cliff, and unintentionally set the new world record in cliff dropping. Fred fell 107 meters and landed with approximately 150 km/h velocity. It was a miracle Fred survived. So, Fred, what the heck happened that day?

It was a beautiful day, lots of fresh. I worried about the snow conditions that day, more than anything else. It was my first day filming with Perfect Moment, and we were a crew with one snowboarder, 2 skiers including myself and one helicopter. All set to be a good day on the hill. People may say what they want, but the route finding on this was not as easy as it looked from the air (of course ). I took out one spot on the whole route, I was scouting from a side angle. I reached this spot, no worries.

Speed is picking up as it’s getting steeper, and i realize this is the wrong place ( you can say it was a twin spot, you can see it in some of the stills, taken by Felix St. Clair Renard ), it was supposed to go slightly skier’s left here, but instead it goes straight down to a cliff edge. Speed is high, some rocks on the surface and just below the surface, it is also much narrower than it looks on the film, makes me wonder if it is worth the chance of a stop turn, split second decision. All of this happens in a matter of seconds. There will be no stop turn, the risk of a fall will kill me. I know it is a huge cliff, I only see the other end of the valley.

In my left side vision I see rocks, I think seriously that this is the end! The last right turn gets my angle a little away from the rock band, my takeoff is slightly left because of sharp rocks just on the edge. then airborne, I can see snow underneath, I knew at that instant that I will make this, my whole mind changed from total resignation to attack, I had no feeling of the height, I only knew it was very high ( it is normal to loose your feeling of height when it gets too high ), landing seemed totally flat as well.

I’m out in the air hucking the biggest cliff ever hucked, I am amazingly stable in the air, due to the initial resignation my arms go a little backward for then again to start pressing forward, preventing my skitips from flipping me over on my head due to the wind pressure, which is getting very strong, on my fats. Closer to the ground I let the forces come to use and flattens out on my back to get the largest possible area for the force of impact. Speed at impact is said to be up near 170 km/h.

Explosion !!! the landing was brutal, from going that fast to total stop and total silence was a weird feeling. I was not even unconscious, nor did I even loose my breath. First thing, checking my ability to move my toes, I am OK. Then trying to get out of the bomb hole, no way; I was totally stuck. Panic for a second, can’t breathe. Calm down, ate some snow in front of my mouth. Close my eyes, breath what i could through my nose, try to get my pulse going as low as possible. One of my poles is lying partly above the snow, and i signal with it  you can see it in some of the stills taken by Felix), I could move my right forearm a little bit, for the guys who I knew would come get me as fast as they could. About 4 minutes underneath the snow, according to the rescuers, I was up and about. I put my skis back on, and ski down to the waiting helicopter.

Fred’s story is absolutely the most shocking news from the world of skiing last year. Many big things happened, such as the dramatic crash of Matthias Lanzinger, but Fred’s story is amazing because he survived a deadly drop. We wanted to know more about Fred’s thoughts after the cliff drop. We asked, “What was the first thought when you realized that you survived this incredible jump? What were you thinking when you went to sleep that night”?

“I looked at the cliff several times from underneath after being dug out, even got the helicopter pilot who took me to the hospital to do a last flyby.. like I wanted to remember this one.. I went through that day many times in my head at the hospital, just to be ready for anything that might come up now and in the future. I had some weird dreams a couple of nights at the hospital, but they’ve stopped”.

Don’t try this at home – Dropping huge cliff can kill you

Fred Syversen has been interviewed a few times after his incredible cliff drop, but the injuries he suffered have not been discussed that much. People think Fred didn’t get even a scratch, but that’s not actually the whole truth. Fred Syversen suffered a partially collapsed lung and damage in his liver. The great thing is that Fred has recovered 100%, but his doctor said that the force of impact from a jump like this could tear the main artery of the heart (aorta) and cause instant death! So please don’t go dropping cliffs unless you know exactly what you are doing and what the risks are.

One might think that after surviving 107 meters cliff drop Fred would never step on skis anymore. But no, Fred is still going strong. Soon after the accident Fred Syversen jumped back on his skis and went checking some backcountries. Fred thinks he didn’t become afraid of big mountain skiing at all, and in fact he believes that what happened last year will make him even a better skier.

Today Fred Syversen feels really alive. He goes skiing and enjoys his life as much as possible. Last time I talked to Fred, he was driving towards Chamonix, the off-piste skiing Mecca of the world. Although Fred set the new world record on cliff dropping and survived a pretty amazing drop, he wants to point out that we should all be responsible for crediting good skier’s and not stunts that might get people killed! He is right. Although Fred is now known for his incredible cliff drop, we give him credit for being a damn good skier and a humble mate with whom you would enjoy drinking a beer or two after a good day of skiing.

Photos by Colin Samuels with copyrights. Photos used with permission.

We’ve interviewed Fred about his drop and the interview can be seen here. His awesome drop and many other perfect moments can be seen in Nuit de la glisse movie. Check the trailer below!

Fred Syversen and his 107 meters unintentional world record cliff jump

Now it is time to believe it. There IS evidence. Fred Syversen DID drop 107 meters, and yes, it was unintentional. Fred Syversen was filming a ski movie Nuit de la Glisse with his crew last year. He was skiing a real dream line on a big mountain, as can be seen in the video below.

A couple of times Fred Syversen skis very close to the edge of the mountain with over-a-100-meter drop next to his skis. While he was approaching the grand finale, the big drop in the end of the line, you can hear the filming crew yelling “à gauche, à gauche!“, which is French and means “left, left!“. Unfortunately it was too late.

Fred Syversen dropped the wrong cliff. Unintentionally he skied a line that lead to his 107 meters cliff drop. His speed was estimated to be over 80 km/h when he jumped.

Fred is lucky to be alive. A 107-meter fall is absolutely staggering. It’s incredible that he survived. Fred even landed close to the rocks, and he was buried more than 2.5 meters in the snow.

After Fred Syversen’s 107 meters (351 feet) cliff drop Jamie Pierre’s 75-meter (245-foot) world record doesn’t sound much at all, right? No way. Both jumps are incredible and huge, although Fred Syversen’s jump was much bigger. Dropping cliffs like this is extremely risky. Fred Syversen must have had thousands of guardian angels helping him land safely.

Fred Syversen realized that he missed the correct line. Instead of braking he decided to drop as well as possible. He knew that braking could lead to uncontrolled flying, which could actually kill him. Just before jumping he made a little turn in order to avoid crashing into the rocks on his left side. His position looks well controlled, although (for a moment) he was sure he was going to die. (Read Fred’s own explanation what he felt like in the air on our earlier post about this unintentional world-record drop from last winter)

Fred Syversen dropped 107 meters cliff with almost no injuries!

Fred Syversen said landing felt like an explosion and breathing was difficult. He was buried in the snow, but he didn’t panic. He knew the crew would be digging him in minutes. They found Fred unconscious, but as soon as he woke up, he was able to ski down to helicopter. He was flown to hospital where they found minor damage in his liver. He was ordered to take it easy for the next few weeks.

Fred, you gotta be the luckiest man on planet Earth… Oh boy. We are glad you survived.

But this time one could say there was even more luck than in Scott Macartney’s case. Even miraculously so. (Though skills and experience played a HUGE role here too…read on, and you will find out how!).

Norwegian veteran freeskier Fred Syversen unintentionally hit the world record cliff drop, got buried in the snow and skied away to the waiting rescue helicopter. At the hospital they found that he only had some minor internal bruising on his liver. This all happened in the Alps while filming for the new Nuit de La Glisse film. The cliff was said to be just a tad over 100m(!) high and Fred Syversen’s speed at take off was around 80 km/h.

Has Fred Syversen really jumped that high drop?

There is a lot of speculation going on about this whole event. Seems like there is no footage around yet (at least on the web). Rumors also say that they’ve only captured a part of the ride on film.

There is also a very long thread in TGR forum that contains very much (hilarious, as usual) off-topic talk. If you don’t have enough patience (or time) to scroll through it, here is the best part, the words from the man himself. I won’t speculate any further, here is the real deal:

Some facts for u guys

Hehe,

Somebody told me about this discussion (couldn’t read it trough, too much), and I like to add a few facts, the rest I will leave for the film and the pics. I can’t give you any proof, that’s not for me to decide.

My ski philosophy is that you should always stick your landings, that’s gonna progress our sport! Going this BIG we’ll leave to the BASE jumpers.

This was the warm up run at the beginning of the day during heli-filming, and it turned out that I missed the end of my line with not to many meters (difficult route finding cause of similar terrain features ). I let my skis go pretty much into the falline and picks up speed instantly, and just thereafter realized my fault and that I will go out something, probably huge.

The mind works amazingly fast under stressed situations; breaking or trying to stop was no longer an option, it simply went too fast. If I had tried that I wouldn’t write this. So that left one choice; go for it, and do it right!

For a fraction of a second I thought this is it, but managed to get in a slight right turn to avoid the cliffs on my left side in the landing area. Then comes the take off at an amazing speed (it felt like that), I see snow underneath, and I realized that it’s not over yet.

In the air I tried to keep a position as long as I could, but air pressure finally pushed the tips of my skis up. That’s what I wanted as well, because landing it anything else than horizontally was out of the question!

I had an ABS avalanche back pack, and for those who know, it has a little metal/aluminum bottle ? near the lower back, not good if you land on your back. So I tilted my body slightly to left before impact and that probably saved my spine.

I didn’t want this to come out, but with mobile phones around……

Nuit de la Glisse Films / Perfect Moment Clothing company, producer Thierry Donard
Photographer : Felix St. Clair Rénard
Measure of the jump 330 feet.

For the skiing watch Free Radicals : Rising and Snowblind and Nuit de la Glisse: Perfect Moment ”The Contact”.

And as far as I know; I am not 42 yet, but hope I will be.

Fred Syversen

Safer lines for Fred Syversen in the future

We hope for a quick recovery for Fred Syversen and some safer lines in the future!

We also won’t speculate anymore on the topic of whether this is the new official record or not. The current “official” record was jumped by Jamie Pierre. I am pretty happy Fred Syversen is alive and hope he will get back on skis soon. Btw, Jamie Pierre is an amazing skier and one with big cojones for sure. I just don’t like that kind of skiing style too much (anymore). I am more into new school stuff, like on Poor Boyz Production films.

Image source: frifly.no