Гірськолижний форум - Крис хаффи (Chris Haffey)

BLADE LIFE: Chris Haffey’s new World Record

http://s017.radikal.ru/i431/1112/f2/57915cf76d21.jpg

Chris, so what is the exact title for the world record you now hold?
I suppose it is the longest jump on a pair of blades. Ha, ha, I didn’t really look into what the official title would be.

Can you tell us in a quick summary how this event came together, and what got you motivated to participate?
Um, it was kind of random, really. Kato basically hit me up one day and said the organizers of the FISE contest hit him up and asked if it was something I would be interested in doing. My motivation to get involved just spawned from the fact that it sounded like a lot of fun to try to fly that far, ha ha. I told them I would want to design a launch ramp for it, and test it to make sure it was possible—before I agreed to do the event—so I didn’t look like a total asshole if I couldn’t even get close. Then they asked if they got an airbag would I go to France two days later to test the ramp. I would have much rather tested it to a regular landing, but with the timeline they had for the event it just wasn’t possible. So I went out there, we got the distance we were looking for, and then confirmed I would do the event.

What was the set up like? Was it fun to skate or, well, you tell us…
The set up was… interesting. Ha, ha! It was fine for the smaller jumps, but for the record it was a bit hectic. Trying to slam a jump that big into a stadium is a pretty hard thing to do. I had almost no run up and no landing. It was kind of funny because the last thing on my mind was the jump itself. Probably not the best way to do a record like that. It essentially turned into a pride thing for me because I knew that using the set up as an excuse for it not getting done would be a cop out. I wanted to do what I said I would do, regardless of the circumstances. I ended up getting it done, but as everyone saw it didn’t look very good. I don’t really feel like what I did was a much better representation for our sport than what Taig did, but it is what it is I guess.

Were there any close calls during the practice and during the event?
Yeah, there were a couple for sure. Overshooting the landing, not going far enough and bouncing from the top of the landing to the flat… I got my ass kicked. I tried probably five times during the show to do it cleaner, but kept getting broke off. On the last fall I took, I hit the top of the landing on my hip and bounced all the way to the bottom. It basically took all the strength I had left in me, and I knew if I kept trying I was going to get extremely hurt. Leaving the arena in one piece was much more important to me than getting it done right.

Anything you learned during the jumps that you can take back to all your other blading, both on and off the mega ramps?
Not really. I wasn’t really messing with tricks on the other jumps too much. Because we had such a short amount of time to prepare for the event, my main focus was just on the long jump.

You up to defend the record if someone comes around looking to challenge it?
Personally, I would like to get an ideal setup going and break it myself, with much more control. I feel like if I had unlimited run up and unlimited landing I could get a controlled 360 and set it down right. Not sure if I will have the opportunity, but if I could get a good setup I know that I could get it done right.

Shout outs?
Everyone at FISE for putting this thing together, and getting me involved in it. To Aragon and Franky for going out there with me and riding. Everyone else that was in the show and helped show some sweet blading to an mainstream audience!

Thanks, Chris. And congrats!