British rider breaks own snowboard speed record on French slopes
After being forced to retire from the UK’s Snowboard Cross team with a major back injury, Jamie Barrow turned to going really, really fast on his snowboard. Now – for the second time – Barrow has broken his own British Snowboard Speed Record.
In the ski resort of Vars, France, Barrow reached a speed of almost 152kph (94.4mph), breaking the previous record he set back in 2013. More impressively, he achieved the speed record in normal snowboard boots, not specialist gear.
“I am very happy with the speed I hit, especially considering the unusually hard snow conditions for this time of the year,” Barrow told The Telegraph after breaking the record. “I was only allocated one run on the day so I knew I had to nail it 100 per cent – I did that and broke the speed record. It was pretty scary at times but I love the adrenalin rush you get at that speed and despite knowing that a fall would surely result in broken bones, I held my nerve and kept the snowboard running straight the whole way down.
“Now I’m looking forward to taking this even further to see how fast I can travel on a snowboard.”
Barrow accomplished the feat on the famous Chabrières slope in Vars. With a 95 per cent slope at its peak, the run is often used for World Cup speed skiing events. Chabrières is 1,400m long with a 435m vertical descent. It was the same site where the current world speed skiing record holder, Italian Ivan Origone, made his mark. Origone nearly reached 255kph on skis earlier this year.
The speed of ski and snowboard runs is measured by using professional laser-timing equipment over a 100m stretch. Barrow is the fastest British snowboarder. The world snowboard speed record is held by Edmond Plawczyk from France. He reached the speed of 203.275 kph in 2015.
When enjoying the snow and slopes, you and friends don’t have to break any speed records when winter comes around again, but there is plenty of fun to be had whilst enjoying a luxury chalet in France.