SWITZERLAND: DISABLED BREAK TWO SPEED RERCORDS

Record ID: 646423

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: DISABLED BREAK TWO SPEED RERCORDS
  • Date: 15th March 1997
  • Summary: GRIMENTZ, SWITZERLAND (MARCH 15, 1997) 1. PANORAMIC VIEW OF SKI LIFT 2. PARAPLEGIC GERARD MANZONI CARRIED UP THE MOUNTAIN 3. MANZONI ADJUSTING ON SPECIAL CHAIR MOUNTED OVER SKI 4. WIDE SHOT MANZONI GETTING READY 5. LOW SHOT MANZONI AGAINST THE SKY 6. MANZONI STARTS FIRST RUN 7. WOMAN OFFICIAL WATCHING 8. MANZONI ON HIS SECOND RUN REACHING 121.58KM PER HOUR TO BREAK THE RECORD 9. MANZONI AT THE END SAYS HE WAS AFRAID BUT HAD TO REACT TO STAY UPRIGHT. (FRENCH SPEECH) 10. BLIND SKIER ALAIN BARRILLIER ARRIVING GUIDED BY COMPANION VALERIE GERARD 11. BARRILLIER GETTING READY AND PHOTOGRAPHED 12. WOMAN ADJUSTING BARRILIER SKIS 13. OTHER SKIERS WATCHING 14. BARRILLIER REACHING 136.09KM PER HOUR ON HIS SECOND RUN 15. BARILLIER FINISHING HIS RUN CONFIRMS HIS SPEED WAS 1 36.09 KILOMETRES PER HOUR, SAYS TO HIMSELF: "BRAVO". (FRENCH SPEECH) 16. BARRILLIER AND HIS GUIDE VALERY GOMEZ Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 30th March 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GRIMENTZ, SWITZERLAND
  • City:
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVA7BGFULPAR7MWOHZH24823XLP6
  • Story Text: Two disabled records were set in Grimentz on Saturday (March 15) in an event organised by the Swiss Federation of Speed Skiing.

    Gerard Manzoni established the first paraplegic world speed skiing record for a one kilometre run. The standard he had to beat for a place in the Guinness Book of Records was 100 kilometres per hour. But Manzoni's second run easily surpassed this with an incredible 121.58 kilometres per hour that will take some beating.

    Alain Barrillier was the other record-breaker. A lawyer by profession, Barrillier improved his own record for a blind skier with a speed of 136.09 kilometres per hour, marginally quicker than his previous best mark of 135.86 kilometres per hour. He was guided on his descent by Valerie Gomez, a former member of the Swiss speed skiing team.

    Speed skiing is not the only extreme sport Barrillier and Gerard are keen on. In 1995 the pair successfully paraglided off the top of Japan's mount Fuji.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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