VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) – Some skiers are concerned they will turn into the puffy “Michelin Man” when they are not supposed to.
Others are afraid they will lose precious hundredths of a second due to slightly more wind resistance.
And still more believe that their movements will be restricted.
Whatever the reasons, few – if any – skiers are expected to use a radical new airbag safety system in January when it will be cleared for use in World Cup downhill races.
“January could still be early. But not because we have problems but because the athletes are not confident,” said Marco Pastore, the sponsoring manager for Italian manufacturer Dainese, which developed the system with the International Ski Federation through four years of data collection and testing.