Olympics' question...when did they start painting the "track" on the downhill skiing?

[stevenpensacola]

What's up with the blue "paint" on the snow indicating the track, hills, jumps, etc? I don't ever remember seeing that before...

I bet Franz Klammer wouldn't need no stinkin' lines in the snow...

 

[OhMari]

What's up with the blue "paint" on the snow indicating the track, hills, jumps, etc? I don't ever remember seeing that before...

I bet Franz Klammer wouldn't need no stinkin' lines in the snow...

They started doing this about a year ago. I seen it at the X-Games in Colorado-it helps distinguish the snow from the sky and it helps with seeing depth.

 

[stevenpensacola]

I definately see the value in doing this...just had not seen it before, except along the top of the half-pipe.

 

[chyam]

They started doing this about a year ago. I seen it at the X-Games in Colorado-it helps distinguish the snow from the sky and it helps with seeing depth.

Yes exactly it is also for the skiers safety since many have problems when the light is flat making it hard to tell where bumps etc are, they also use pine needles in some areas. I remember a few days skiing one year where it was next to impossible judging the slope ahead of me even with tinted lenses, and going at the speeds that they go it would be extremely dangerous.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

It is the same reason they put pine branches towards the edge of the ski jumps.