Intrawest gets tough on helmet use

6th October 2009, by Chris Gill

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To wear or not to wear a helmet …?  Children taking ski school lessons in a North American resort run by Intrawest won’t have a choice from this season.

Intrawest, the company operating nine resorts in the US and Canada, has decided to make helmets mandatory for ski school pupils, regardless of age. The rule applies to all children and teens enrolled in ski and snowboard courses, and those taking part in freestyle terrain park programmes. Staff will also be required to wear them while teaching and – from 2010/11 – when supervising terrain parks. Resorts will no longer operate the waiver systems for children, but are likely to allow adults to ‘opt-out’ if they wish.

As part of the new policy, Intrawest has also announced that all children’s rental packages will include helmets. The company also hopes that the plans will, along with lots of new promotional material, encourage more skiers and boarders to wear helmets generally on the slopes.

Some of the key resorts involved are:

• Copper Mountain (US – Colorado)

• Winter Park Resort (US – Colorado)

• Panorama Mountain (Canada)

• Whistler Blackcomb (Canada)

• Steamboat Ski Resort (US – Colorado)

  The Intrawest decision follows that of Vail Resorts, where all staff must now wear a helmet while out on the slopes.

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  • children
  • helmets
  • intrawest

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