Safety Nets
Whistler Weasel Workers devote most of their effort to erecting and maintaining safety nets that serve to protect fallen racers and to keep them within the course boundaries. In addition, we place crowd control nets that keep spectators off the course and out of harms way.
“A”
NETs are the large sprawling
“fishing” nets placed throughout the
course. A-NETS are hung from overhead cables by the Safety
Crew (with help from Course
Crew
at times) . The purpose of the A-NETS is to absorb energy and to
deflect a racer, either back onto the course, or along the
net.
To protect racers from getting caught in the coarse weave of the A-NETS, dense slip-skirting is attached to the bottom 6 feet of the A-NETS. This may be of two types, “VEXAR" or "KITZBUHEL” The slip skirting system allows racers to “slip“ along or actually ski off the A-NET, rather than getting caught in it.
After
being hung, A-NETS are secured to the snow at their bottom edge using
cookies and are then tensioned by the Safety crew. After
being
installed, A-NETS must be kept clean of newly fallen snow and snow
build-up along their bottom edge must be cleared away, so the
net does not become frozen into the snow. A-NETS are
suspended
from the overhead steel cable using a long rope called a Power
Braid.that
passes through pulleys attached alternately to the cable and the top
edge of the A-NET.
For 2008, new Alpina A-NETS will be in use on both downhill courses at Whistler.
Information on the new Alpina A-NETS will appear hear, in early 2008.
“B
SYSTEMS”
are the deceleration nets placed in high incident (high risk
of
crashing) areas throughout the course. Their function is to
absorb energy and to decelerate the skier B-NETS
are hung loosely on polycarbonate poles and may be erected in single,
double or triple rows. They stand about six feet in height.
B Systems are placed by volunteer Course
Crew, under the direction of its
crew chief.
After being installed, B-NETS must be kept clean of newly fallen snow and snow build-up along the bottom edge of the nets must be cleared away, so the net does not become frozen into the snow/
In 2008, new Alpina B-NETS
will be in use on both downhill courses at Whistler.
Installation training sessions for Crew Chiefs will be held
January 19. Note that the new Alpina nets have a different
installation method than earlier Alpina systems and differ entirely
from the Barry systems used in Whsitler in earlier years.
The new B-Nets are "sea-spray blue" in colour with matching blue PC poles and do not clash with basic Weasel Black.
Alpina nets have been in use in Whistler for many years, and, more recently, Barry nets have been added to the mix. As of 2008, it appears that Alpine nets will be the Whistler standard.
Note: the
method of
linking sections has changed.
