Six features of Olympic skiing that you should know
There are two varieties of fencing: A-net and B-net.
A-net is more rigid, often permanent, and used to prevent racers from flying off the course and into dangerous areas, off cliffs, into rocks and the like.
B-net is temporary and closer to webbing that’s aimed at absorbing the kinetic energy of a falling skier. Frequently, there are multiple layers of B-net with space in between that combined to act as a catcher’s mitt.
“They put nets where you have really big fall zones and high-speed sections, places where you need that extra level of protection,” Morse said.
It isn’t like tumbling into a pit of foam blocks, though.
“The A-net is much more like hitting a trampoline,” Morse said. “The B-net is designed to come out of the ground and wrap you like a blanket. … When you go into the nets, your boot buckles, your bindings, your skis, they all get tangled in the webbing.”
So what does it feel like when you’re going 70-80 mph?
“Terrible,” he said. “It’s like you’re in a washing machine getting hit with sticks.”