04/26/24
December 15, 2005
The difference between a win and nothing is 0.1 millimeter: at least in the world of alpine ski racing, where Didier Defago was stripped of his win in the super combined at Val d'Isere on December 11th. Defago, who turned in the fastest time for the event, was disqualified when the top of his riser plate measured 55.1 millimeters, over the regulation 55.0. In addition to 100 World Cup points, the mistake cost Defago more than $90,000 in prize money and sponsor bonuses.
posted by lil_brown_bat to other at 08:12 PM - 4 comments
You'd think, justgary. I'm guessing it's a difference in the tech's instruments, which measured the risers before the race, and the FIS instruments, which measured them after. $90K and your first win in two seasons, down the toilet for a tenth of a millimeter...
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:08 AM on December 16, 2005
Wow. If they're using different instruments I just don't see how they can cut it so close. It would make sense to use the same (official) instrument if we're talking about millimeters.
posted by justgary at 01:53 AM on December 17, 2005
And then there's the underwear police...
posted by lil_brown_bat at 05:30 PM on December 17, 2005
And they say baseball is a game of inches. One thing I don't get (I've skied twice in my life) is how the measurement went up. Wouldn't skiing cause the gap to decrease?