Helmet cams a possibility for World Champs

With television coverage of ski racing seemingly fading away in the US, the plan for broadcasting the Schladming World Championships Feb. 5-17 will include 50 hours of air time created from more than 100 cameras, including what the Austrian network ORF if calling the “Flying Camera,” suspended over the course and capable of keeping up with moving targets moving 140kph.

But perhaps the most exciting angles will come from what venerable British journalist Nic Fellows calls “A crashing little gizmo,” a camera, attached to the goggle strap of the racers. The hope is the devise can be attached to the top 15 skiers in each event. There are, however, a few hurdles remaining.

“It is not as easy as it is if you have a standardized condition around you as in a race car,” said FIS men’s tour director Guenther Hujara, noting such cameras have been used successfully in car racing.

He said it is hoped for “availability for the World Championships in Schladming. … but we have to jump over a few, not many, obstacles right now. On the technical side it seems solvable.”

If it turns out the cameras are not ready for Schladming, or deemed unacceptable for one reason or another  by competitors, Hujara pledged the project would not be discarded.

“If not Schladming, then in the very near future we will see these cameras.” -hm