On March 26th 2009 skiing lost Shane McConkey in a Ski Base accident in the Dolomite mountains in Italy. Born in Vancouver B.C. on December 30th 1969, he moved to California as a kid. Started off as a ski racer, but he was better known for the other accomplishments. Participated in ski movies, pushing for acceptance of “fat skis”, instrumental in ski design with the creation of Rocket skis and reverse skicuts and push the limits with Ski Base jumping. Always pushing the limits of what was possible on skis and ski design. Oh yeah, he was also a real character.
Newly elected to the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame, here is a quote from the museum Press Release.
The late Shane McConkey has been called the most influential skier of his generation for popularizing free skiing and encouraging the development of equipment so more skiers could enjoy back country and deep powder conditions. In 1993 he won the World Pro Mogul Tour and added the South American Freeskiing championship in 1994. The next year he claimed the U.S. Freeskiing championship and twice won, in 1996 and 1998, the International Freeskier Association World Tour Championship. He was a leader in bringing “fat skis” to the slopes. In 2002, he helped develop the first reverse camber and reverse side cut ski, the Volant Spatula, and four years later introduced the K2 Pontoon. During his career he was featured in 26 films about skiing and became a world leader in ski base jumping. He died in a ski base jumping accident on March 26, 2009.
Matchstick Production movie In Deep has this beautiful tribute. Here is this week Friday Night Video. Rest in Peace Shane:
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This is also the second time that Shane McConkey is features on Friday Night Video. The first feature was on the day of his anniversary.
Edit: More about Shane at the Shane McConkey foundation. You can also donate money to this non-profit organization, read more.
More articles and tributes:
The Ski Journal piece on Shane McConkey.
Powder magazine: Loss of a Legend
Powder magazine: Scott Gaffney on Shane’s Legacy
Powder magazine: Shane McConkey Tribute – Photo Gallery of Shane’s Red Bull exploits
Homeboy ski blog: Shane McConkey’s Death Shocked Us
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