Was standing on 54th Street in Manhattan last night..... Letterman's ski jump

[singpilot]

Saw the jump that went bad. It was a pretty radical setup. Short, steep ramps, man-made snow, lots of lighting. Trouble was, it got REALLY cold after they sprayed the snow. It went crusty, and got real hard. After the accident, they disassembled that thing as fast as they could. Problem was, the snow was like cement, and there was a LOT of chopping with big steel bars and picks and fire axes.

Didn't think it was that big a deal until the news this morning. Of course, the show was replaced last night with a re-run. A great re-run.

[jrdavid68]

What happened - do you have a link to the story?

[singpilot]

Haven't got a link, but there was a snowboarder that was gonna do stunts, and jumps. She couldn't get an edge to bite, and went off the top of the ramp and fell onto the ground. Looked painful. Word is she is still in Hospital with cuts and contusions. I think the temp falling so rapidly was the problem. The snow had a thick, solid icy crust on it. I'm sure the video will be out soon.

[trj911]

I heard about that on the news and I wondered what went on. Post a link if you see one.

[surflvr911sc]

I’m glad that she’s alive, when I heard about it on the way to work this morning it sounded like she was killed. Hopefully she’ll be up riding again soon.

[tchanson]

The Times had a story today. Text shown below, as site might require new users to register.

Tim

February 6, 2004

Letterman Visits Injured Snowboarder

NEW YORK (AP) -- A champion snowboarder performing a routine stunt for David Letterman's late-night TV show veered off a ramp outside the show's theater and fell 25 feet to the ground Thursday.

Snowboarder Tara Dakides was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition after receiving stitches -- and a visit from Letterman.

``The only thing I am upset about is that the French judge only gave me a 5.6,'' Dakides quipped from her hospital bed, according to her spokesman.

Witnesses said the 28-year-old Dakides, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., made two successful jumps on the U-shaped ramp, set up on 53rd Street in Manhattan outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, and then fell off the ramp on her third attempt.

``She came down at an angle and she just went off the side of the ramp and landed on her back,'' said Dave Riddle, of Orlando, Fla., a bus driver.

Dakides, a snowboard competitor since 1993, was in New York to showcase her talents on the Letterman show and discuss the silver medal she just earned at the 2004 X Games.

Dakides has finished first in several X Games events, dominating slopestyle, according to the EXPN.com site.

Letterman's executive producer, Rob Burnett, said he hoped that Dakides ``makes a full and complete recovery and that she'll be back on the `Late Show' soon.''

The CBS show regularly tapes stunts on the streets outside the studio.

Because of the accident, the ``Late Show'' stopped taping Thursday and planned to air a repeat episode Thursday night.

[vash]

not that it matters, but i understand that she is hot. i think she is going to be back on the letterman show on monday, to talk about it. but now with all the added exposure, i bet she could get on the tonight show instead.

[singpilot]

There was a guy in the crowd last night that had a magazine with her pics. In a bikini. Yeah, HOT!

She is in satisfactory condition today, and if released today, will be at his show this afternoon for a taping. Otherwise next week.

I am staying in a hotel close by, and quite often walk past the Sullivan theatre on my way to Matt's Grill, one of my mid-town dinner spots. There is always something going on outside the theatre at 5 to 6-ish when Letterman is taping.

She had already done 2 successful jumps. She caught an edge or tried to but didn't on her launch, and missed the ramp for her landing. Went hard onto the pavement on her back. She was wincing with pain, and the paramedics kept her motionless guarding against the possible injuries. She never lost conscienceness, and later had a stitch or two for a cut on her head. This all happened ten feet in front of me. The height that she launched from was like 50 feet. She was landing on a platform that was 20 feet in the air.

If there is video somewhere, you'll see how gonzo this was. She had pulled it off, but the iciness on the launch got her. She says she never wears a helmet, but it would have been a good thing last night.

My bet is she'll do it again.

[SteveStromberg]

You guys need glasses if you think shes hot.Steve

[cegerer]

[Sonic dB]

These days...that look does pass for "hot".

If she is from Mammoth Lakes, then she probably is used to falling on ice and snow.

[Sonic dB]

um....yeah, I guess she really is hot.