Shaun White's Double Cork Flip Fuels Controversy After Dangerous Accident (VIDEO)

Shaun White's signature move--the one pioneered at a private half-pipe in Silverton, Colorado--may face a ban at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The "Double Cork" involves two flips, multiple spins, and at least 20+feet of height in the air. An info-graphic by The Times Online spells out the move's critical five steps.

According to The Guardian:

White invented the double cork on a private 167-metre (550ft) long ­halfpipe (a structure like an inverted tunnel with facing concave ramps), built by his ­sponsor, Red Bull, at Silverton Mountain in south-west Colorado, for an ­estimated cost of $500,000. ­Accessible only by helicopter, and with a soft, foam pit built into one wall, the ­structure allowed White to try tricks he had ­"contemplated for years" without risk of injury.

Though it may look innocuous, the trick has already led to serious accidents. Kevin Pearce, one of White's top competitor's, recently landed on his head in Utah while attempting the trick. Pearce was in a coma for a week and may never ride a half-pipe again.

Pro-snowboarded Steve Fisher recently told the Star Tribune that the Double Cork is taking the sport in a dangerous direction:

"[The Double Cork] is taking snowboarding into a more gymnastic direction than it's ever been before ... People are so obsessed with this, they're literally breaking themselves to learn this one new trick. But it's not supposed to be a big-air contest or a one-hit wonder. It's a shame that's what has happened with it."

Though the International Olympic Commission has banned unsafe tricks in the past, many believe a ban would only feed snowboarding's already youthful risk-prone nature. Whatever the outcome, keep your eyes peeled for a showdown--either on the course, or off.

Watch Shaun White discuss his private Silverton Mountain half-pipe:

Comments

[kclz2420]

10:34 PM on 02/18/2010

I'm an avid skier - is there anything "safe" about the half-pipe, or any other terrain on a mountain? No. It's the olympic games, and the athletes are going to try to outdo one another for the gold, just like in any other sport. I'm a liberal and sometimes you do-good liberals just go too far and give us normal people a bad name. Might as well cancel hockey too, I hear players sometimes get concussions.

[PentaxKilla]

10:13 AM on 02/11/2010

On a related note, is Shawn White somehow exempt from environmental responsibility because he is so cool? Seriously, he flies a helicopter to a private half-pipe? That makes my commute look like I am riding a tri-cycle down a hill. Carbon footprint, fool. Act like you know.

[SuperRyan]

05:21 PM on 02/10/2010

Without rules banning extremely dangerous tricks, no insurance company will cover any events and the sport will die.
Of course the sport will always have a level of risk, but if a trick is sending people to the hospital in a coma with severe brain damage, then yes that is a trick that may need to be banned.
It`s also quite unfair, that White was able to develope this trick on a custom half pipe with a foam pit, that no other rider has access to. If White is able to perfect dangerous tricks in a safe manner, it forces his competitors to learn the trick, without the foam pit, in a dangerous manner.

[blood1]

12:52 PM on 02/08/2010

Strange. Most competitive sports are looking to "push the envelope". And NOW there is a controversy because an individual was seriously injured. Now just to put the whole thing into perspective, it is not like these guys haven't practiced this trick before trying it in a half-pipe. But because it is dangerous and someone is hurt, some are calling for a halt.

Remember back: Pairs ice skating - a girl in a lift and was hurt (unconscious)...did these same people call for "ENDING LIFTS"?

If this is an N=1 injury, why are some calling for a STOP? Didn't do it in football? HMMMMM

[Win Charles]

01:24 PM on 02/07/2010

why

[gimiesome]

07:58 PM on 02/06/2010

That's so true,Even Shaun joked later he just wanted to taste the blue paint.
That was a great trick. Go Shaun

[Piratefish]

07:35 PM on 02/05/2010

Steve Fisher is just a cry baby.