Fast on skis, comfortable on the board
Suva used the Slope Track app to analyze around 380,000 trips on the slopes. The results show that those who were skiing tended to ski faster and therefore at greater risk.
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Users of the Suva Slope Track app recorded over 380,000 slope runs between 2019 and 2023. Suva has analyzed the data. Suva's mobile application is mainly used by men over the age of 45 from German-speaking Switzerland who ski rather than snowboard and describe themselves as good or excellent skiers.
Boarders rode more carefully
What stands out: snowboarders were more cautious compared to their colleagues on two slats. On four out of ten recorded snowboard descents, the speed remained below 50 km/h, and only on one in ten descents were top speeds of over 70 km/h measured. This contrasts with the recorded runs of skiers, who were faster on average. The descents below 50 km/h accounted for a quarter, while 70 km/h was exceeded on two out of ten descents.
| under 50 km/h | over 70 km/h | |
| Skiers | 24% | 18% |
| Snowboarders | 40% | 10% |
Table: Proportion of measured maximum speeds of all 380,000 recorded departures.
Fast descents are riskier
Samuli Aegerter, who is responsible for the snow sports prevention campaign at Suva, categorizes the evaluations: "First and foremost, people should have fun on the ski slopes. However, they must be aware that high speeds result in longer braking distances, an increased risk and therefore a greater risk of injury."
The anonymously collected data with the help of the Slope Track app gives Suva the opportunity to deepen its knowledge of winter sports enthusiasts' behavior on the slopes and to target prevention more effectively. Aegerter comments: "Thanks to this data, Suva can adapt its prevention services in the area of winter sports in a targeted manner so that winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy their favorite sport on skis and snowboards with as few injuries as possible."
App Slope Track
The Slope Track app is a multifunctional app for snow sports enthusiasts that can help improve personal fitness and ensure an efficient warm-up. It offers useful tips for adapting personal behavior on the slopes. The tracking function also allows you to compare your own runs with those of well-known top athletes such as Loïc Meillard or Wendy Holdener.
