Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author

sports science

Nico

2-Jun-2004
12:45:38 PM

Help please! I'm looking for sports scientists (diet, biomechanics, sports psychology, whatever) for National Science Week 2004 (14 - 22 August). They/you would need to be available to field media enquiries during that time.

I'm thinking of sports outside the Olympic/football/cricket ambit (they have many sports scientists available).

Somewhere amongst my books I've got a vintage (1988) academic paper from an American medical journal, full of interesting information derived from Yosemite, for example: researchers came to the conclusion that helmets might have some slight effect on the total of injuries, but that the climbers who were dead were already so dead that a helmet would not really have helped. Most of the injuries occurred, according to this study, to experienced climbers, while leading. On 29% of leader falls, "protection" (!) pulled out of the rock during a fall. Six climbers were injured, one fatally, while climbing without a rope, one was killed when he abseiled off the end of his rope, and one unfortunate was squashed by a dislodged boulder while he lay asleep in his tent. Two climbers fell 243 metres, roped together, when their anchor failed. Despite helmets, they died. Nearly all (89%) climbers paid their bills in full. Sources of injury included bat bite, and assault on one climber by another with a piton hammer.

Now that's what I call sports science ...

CJ

2-Jun-2004
3:35:00 PM

Nico,

Not quite sure what the request / requirement is here? I'm also afraid to say that if you're involved in sports science and either don't work in the professional sport area (Football / Cricket etc.) or Olympic type sports for a state or national institiute / academy, you probably don't work much! Not much money in climbing / fringe type sports.
Possibly try John Booth at Uni of Woolongong, he has published some climbing related research. Or contact myself and I may be able to help...

Chris

Nico

2-Jun-2004
8:12:47 PM

Thanks Chris - I'm working with the National Science Week people and they're interested in sports science as a topic for 2004. There are any number of sports scientists available from mainstream sports, and the Olympics will be happening - but I was thinking that so-called adventure sports generate millions of dollars - so there should be some non-mainstream sports scientists out there. And as I'm a climber, I thought: Chockstone!

The Yosemite stuff was by way of example ... anyone suffered bat bite? (I was trampled by a possum once, when I stuck a Friend into the crevice where it was hiding - but that's another story ...)

Rich

2-Jun-2004
11:33:24 PM

my friend got scratched by a monkey in thailand whilst climbing and had to have rabies shots ! if thats any help??

deadpoint

3-Jun-2004
12:25:24 PM

My brother got crapped on by a Baboon and I got bitten by a white tailed spider. Stinky smelly flesh was the result of both....

Robb

3-Jun-2004
1:34:06 PM

i got bitten by a squirel in Yosemite last year. it was jumping on me while i was asleep on the ground so i grabbed it around the neck. chomp ----quite funny really.

climbingjac

3-Jun-2004
2:20:02 PM

Why is it that your comments do not surprise me in the least, Beefy??!!!

Rich

3-Jun-2004
2:32:43 PM

another reason for having a tent hehe

Robb

3-Jun-2004
2:44:32 PM

jac
just sent you off a surprise package - should be there early next week. - should keep the squirrels at bay.hehehe

There are 9 messages in this topic.