Making an exception for Sarah and posting an FNV one week ahead of the regular Winter schedule.
On Thursday January 19, 2012, Sarah Burke passed away leaving behind her husband, family, friends and a legion of fans. She was seriously injured over one week ago will training on the Superpipe at Park City (Utah). She had been a coma even since. She was 29. Ontario born in Barrie and raised in Midland, she moved to Whistler like many Eastern Canadians.
Sarah wasn’t just a skier, she was a modern day pioneer. Before Sarah, there wasn’t any girls skiing in the park. Sarah opened the door to female skier to compete in big air and half-pipe competitions. Her biography? Four-time X Games winner and won the world championship in the halfpipe. She convinced the International Olympic Committee to have the event added to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi where she was considered to be one of the favorites.
Here is a quote from skiace on Firsttracksonline that sums it all up.
It’s hard to overstate her impact on skiing. She was the first high-profile woman in the park scene. She was an integral part of freestyle skiing as it developed from moguls to slopestyle & pipe over the last decade and a half. For years she was the only woman around pushing those limits, even competing in men’s competitions before women’s competitions existed. She was a driving force behind getting women’s freestyle events established. She was no doubt was a role model for countless girls all over, proving by example that they could have a future in park & pipe skiing if they wanted it. It’s tragic she never got a chance to compete in the Olympics and see the sport she helped define truly reach maturity.
Sarah was also names one of the most influential skiers in the last 35 years in Powder’s 35th anniversary magazine 5 years ago.
Profile video from Roxy
A selection from The Ski Channel’s second feature film, Winter. Great interview with newly-wed couple Sarah and her husband and fellow skier Rory Bushfield.
From Midland, Ontario to our hearts.
Rest In Peace…may you Rip In Pow forever in Heaven and in our minds. Deepest sympathies to her husband, family and many friends.
EDIT:
Powdermag article: Sarah Burke Dies from Injuries
Please consider helping them cover the enormous cost of Sarah’s recent medical care and to provide for other arrangements by donating. Your support in their greatest time of need will be gratefully appreciated and forever remembered. We encourage you to share this link with others who have been touched by Sarah.
For more information, please go to http://www.giveforward.com/sarahburke.
Nicely done, MadPat. RIP, Sarah Burke.
Totally agree. Nicely done.