1.
SV AND LV Skiers down ramp and somersault into pool (4 shots)
0.24

2.
CU Skier on ramp; his boots and skis (2 shots)
0.27

3.
SV Skiers down ramp and into pool (2 shots)
0.40

4.
SV Slow motion (Voice up of Minor speaking)
0.47

5.
SV Minor speaking
0.56

6.
SV (same shot) Marsh speaks
1.07

7.
GV Skier into pool
1.10

8.
CU Skier puts on skis and starts down ramp
1.26

9.
SV AND CU Montage somersaulting
1.50


MINOR: "The worst thing that can happen is to knock the wind out of you ... or you might hit the bottom. But on snow you over-spin and you stand the chance of breaking your neck or your back.



MARSH: "Here when we're in the air, we can concentrate fully on landing instead of in the back of your mind you're thinking 'I'm going to crash'. It's all in your head what you're going to do.



REPORTER: "Using regular snow skis and boots, the only difference in appeal is a wet suit. The only difference between this ramp and the real snow is the soft landing. But, according to Marsh and Minor, the real advantage is the safety and the ability to learn and practice a jump over and over. This is only the second or third such ski jump ramp to be built in the country ... but no doubt when the word gets out, hot doggers everywhere will have one. ANd when these skies reach the snow slopes this winter, they will not only be more perfected in their aerial jumping, but they will be less likely to be injured."




Initials CL/1621 ???


SPORT - HOT DOG SKIING
This film is serviced with a commentary by TVN reporter Tod Owens. transcript of the commentary and comments on film by Minor and Marsh appears overleaf.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Hot dog skiing - or free-styling - is one of the most controversial sports around. It's also one of the craziest and most dangerous ... so dangerous, in fact, that enthusiasts are afraid to practice often, because of the high risk of serious injury.

The idea behind the sport - a wild extension of downhill skiing - is to incorporate in the run as many spins, flips and twists as possible. The fad began 10 years ago on the ski slopes at Aspen in Colorado, when veteran skier Stein Eriksen startled his fellow sportsmen by performing a series of bizarre aerial somersaults as he sped downhill. Since then hot dogging has built up a strong following and left behind it a trail of injuries and a few lawsuits as well.

However, two hot doggers in Sun Valley, Idaho have overcome the training problem by constructing their own ramp, which dumps the skiers softly, if unceremoniously, into a hot springs pool.

One of the designers, Bill Minor, says that last year he completed only 50 jumps - and most of those were in competitions. Since building the ramp he's jumped over a thousand times, and perfected aeries of new manoeuvres, which could have proved fatal if developed in real snow conditions.

Minor and colleague Mark Marsh use normal skis and boots. The only concession to their aquatic landing ground is a wet suit.

At the moment there ae only a few of the ramps in operation. But, one doubt, they'll become more popular as the word spreads.