pie-eater 207 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 The New Zealand inventors of zorbing have described the death of a father-of-two at a Russian ski resort as "very troubling". And Zorb Ltd, which has developed the adventure sport of rolling downhill in a transparent plastic inflatable ball which originated in New Zealand in 1994, is now calling for a global code of safe operations to try and stamp out cowboy operators. Mirroring the other Kiwi thrill-seeking sport of bungy jumping, zorbing's commercial success has spawned worldwide copycats. "Unfortunately, when you have a new adventure sport like this come out, especially in developing countries, you tend to see a lot of people not following any form of regulation," Zorb Ltd chief executive Hope Horrocks. Horrifying home video footage of the January 3 accident has captured the final moments of 27-year-old Denis Burakov. It shows Mr Burakov and friend Vladimir Shcherbov, 33, who survived the incident, climb into the giant inflatable ball before being pushed down a ski-field. As they got into the giant ball, a friend with the video camera is heard saying, "Denis, you'll be like Jackie Chan in the Armour of God movie!", reports the Daily Mail. But the 'orb' soon leaves the groomed ski trail. A man's voice is heard saying, in Russian, "Oh f***, it's gone in the wrong direction again." It careers left and right, with the male voice screaming: "Hold it, hold it! Hold!", and then "Ah well, it's OK, it'll stop by itself." It teeters on the edge of a rocky ravine, before disappearing down Ganachhirskiy Gorge at Dombai resort complex in the North Caucasus mountain range. Once it goes out of view, the friend filming the ordeal asks: "What's going on there?" "A catastrophe," someone says, and the footage is halted. "The orb went on for about 1.5kms, jumping on the rocks and hitting them," a local police spokesman said. Mr Burakov, from Pyatigorsk, was still alive but he died on the way to hospital, the Mail reports. An investigation has been launched into criminal negligence causing death on the part of the extreme sports organisers. Meanwhile, Zorb Ltd, which runs the popular Zorb Rotorua site, is trying to piece together what happened for itself. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Do you think that putting the video in is appropriate pie-eater, considering it shows the man falling to his death? Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Well actually I had just taken it out myself before I read your comments as I thought someone might say that. I'm not sure it changes anything, but all the same - don't want to offend. But... having said that, it was hardly graphic was it? Unless there was more at the very end before I stopped watching. Perhaps I should delete the photo? Or the thread completely? Is it appropriate to even talk about it? Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Well actually I had just taken it out myself before I read your comments. I'm not sure it changes anything, but all the same - don't want to offend. But... it was hardly graphic. Unless there was more at the very end before I stopped. Perhaps I should delete the photo? Or the thread completely? Is it appropriate to even talk about it? It's appropriate but unfortunately I watched the video on another site, thinking it would be an example of zorbing but alas not. It was a video of what happened. Pretty crazy really, I would have thought they would be using a half pipe, or at least not be doing it near the edge of a cliff. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I wanna see the vid as well, of course it's appropriate. A spoiler to say ppl might find it scary/offensive/disgusting, but the vid should be in Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I watched it not realizing it was a guy who died inside - vid shows how it plays out, not graphic but rams home the message about thinking through possible outcomes and risks. Seriously, the majority of people standing at the top and surveying the possible fall lines would ask a few questions - but a professional extreme sports company is running it so some may simply assume the risk assessment has been done and the loose ends tied up. Not so in this case. I couldn't see the entire bobsled track at La Plagne before I pushed off, I couldn't verify that there wasn't a section missing or a flaming inferno at the end - but I trusted that we were doing something run by a professional operator on an Olympic track that people were queuing up for, and the risk was low, and as stated. The operator is liable, and should be punished severely for selling such a dangerous 'product', especially given there was a history of incident. oh f***, it's gone in the wrong direction again Link to post Share on other sites
boardbaka 3 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 The photo reminds me of ten pin bowling. I am not sure if I could stomach watching a video of it . There was one similiar on bbc a few years ago of a skier who was killed during a crash. Horrific stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I had a go in a Zorb quite a few years back. Not on snow, it was summer on a hillside in Gunma. It was fun. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 that dude chasing it from the right knew it was in trouble before it got to him. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Pure darwin award stuff this. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 There was zorbing down a gentle hill in Takino Park in Sapporo. My wife wanted the kid to have a go. I said no, he'd spill his milk. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 The New Zealand inventors of zorbing have described the death of a father-of-two at a Russian ski resort as "very troubling". And Zorb Ltd, which has developed the adventure sport of rolling downhill in a transparent plastic inflatable ball which originated in New Zealand in 1994, is now calling for a global code of safe operations to try and stamp out cowboy operators. I dunno if that fellow died in something made by Zorb Limited, but this sounds like an admission that they've been selling theirs without a "global code of safe operations". If I'd lost a member of my family in this way, I'd also want people to call it something a bit stronger than "troubling". I went and watched the video and its horrendous. It simply looks like an accident waiting to happen. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I watched the video too. It looks like there was a guy waiting at the bottom who was meant to catch the Zorb. Pretty ****ing ridiculous set up actually. Whoever decided that set up should be in prison. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Bloody hilarious I thought. That's definitely one for the Darwin Awards! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I watched the video too. It looks like there was a guy waiting at the bottom who was meant to catch the Zorb. Pretty ****ing ridiculous set up actually. Whoever decided that set up should be in prison. yeah I thought it was ridiculous as well. It IS Russia though Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 They should have had Putin there. He would have stopped it! Not sure where they got the idea that the Zorb only orignated in 1994? This film from 1983 has a Zorb like ball in it briefly at around 1 minute in. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Cool old school vid! Bet the guy shat himself when he crashed into the train! Those mono skis look a surefire way to broken ankles Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Here it is. Viewer discretion etc etc Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Cool old school vid! Bet the guy shat himself when he crashed into the train! Those mono skis look a surefire way to broken ankles I just don't know how any possibly survived shooting the film. None are wearing helmets!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 maybe they didn't. The death shots were edited out. Link to post Share on other sites
Dunga 1 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Here it is. Viewer discretion etc etc Looks like YouTube have pulled the video, some kind of copywrite infringement msg came up. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 It must not be 'appropriate', or something. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 A few had helmets American football ones Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Wow just saw the vid. Wonder if the guy inside knew what was up. Link to post Share on other sites
fukdane 2 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Maybe not at the beginning.... Link to post Share on other sites
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