Speeding Down Everest

(Pictured above: A bulletin board in a ski racer’s hut. The love of speed leads to a lack of problems. At least those with names.)

Last week I included a trenchant post from a skier. I hope to have more comments from this caliber of athlete–the most ballsy of breeds.

On that note, I mentioned the concept of "vertical speed." Ski racing and auto racing (hence the link to this blog, duh) have a great deal in common: speed, line, the laws of physics, psychotic pursuit.

As such, I feel both sports have much to recommend to the average couch potato on the eve of the Super Bowl. While its been fun watching football on snow this past month, a far greater feat on frozen ground was acheived by a Japanese skier with linebacker legs.

In 1970, Yuchio Miura (pictured at left) skied down Mount Everest. You can watch the spot below. Its better than a Super Bowl automobile ad by well over a mile–the length he skied before crashing 200 feet short of a cliff.

lhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNRRg7WuG8