Tdl"H #18

[Phil]

Hjalmar Hvam and his patent for a releasable binding. It's interesting to note the statement on last week's Tdl"H in which Dick Durrance is implied as saying: "Experience has shown that it is better to have a rigidly controlled ski than a loose, easily discarded ski." Obviously true for racing, but also explains why so many folks were getting broken legs back in those days. "The Eriksen toe iron and Kandahar heel cable assured a solid connection of boot to ski. Too solid. Every racer could count on breaking a leg from time to time, and some of the classic European downhills hospitalized up to a third of the entry list." Seth Masia, Release! History of Safety Bindings, Skiing History, 2002