Chris Benchetler is Moments Of Impact on Discovery tomorrow night
July 22, 2009, 6:08 PM
By: John Symms
Photo: Chris Benchetler
This is Chris Benchetler's dog Reese. Reese can't wait to watch his master on TV tonight.
In our little sport, it's always really exciting when one of our own makes it into the TV. Especially when the program doesn't have to blur his face out! It takes a universally relatable story, an anecdote that touches the hearts, and excites the imaginations of the general public. And since skiing, or at least our little nook of skiing, is (categorizeable as) a "core action sport," the most attractive thread we have to offer the population at large consists primarily of dreadful accounts of instances when action sports go wrong. And that's what skiers get on TV for: Derek Spong graced a History Channel program for his death-cheating heart injury several years ago in Mount Shasta; Shane McConkey's daredevil antics made a handful of appearances on You-Gotta-See-This-type programs during his lifetime; and Mike Wilson is currently negotiating a deal to become the host of Spike TV's upcoming fast action crash spectacular, I Break My Own Bones To Feel Alive: Cutting Yourself Is For Little Girls.
If breaking your own bones is cool, consider Chris Benchetler Miles Davis. Several years ago, Chris Benchetler overshot a 100-foot tabeltop at June Mountain, CA. The jump was so large that Benchetler had ample time to contemplate the folly of ever getting airborne in a place as windy as California's gusty Inyo National Forest.
Photo: Chris Benchetler
Couldn't say "no" to just one more picture of Benchetler's little dog.
Mid-thought, a gust of wind blew Benchetler into a body position more awkward than a clause with an improperly defined subject. At the Moment Of Impact, Chris broke his femurthe biggest, most painful bone to break in most human bodies.
For his suffering, Chris has been awarded a spot on Moments Of Impact, The Discovery Channel's contribution to television's illustrious When [Insert Risky Activity or Dangerous Thing Here] Goes Terribly Wrong literary tradition. Chris will be on TV teaching the general public the horrors of participation in adrenaline junky activities on the Discovery Channel tomorrow night, July 23, at 9:00 p.m. That's probably Eastern Time, but I'm not sure. Check your personal television box. Or Discovery.com's daily television schedule.
Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Contributors
John Symms
My friend is a pro. In fact, many of my friends are pros. How else do you think I got this job?
Seth Morrison
If you don't know who Seth is, just click out of this blog and walk away. (Seth is a big mtn. legend, you see.)
Sage Cattabriga-Alosa
Sage went from washing dishes professionally to freeskiing professionally aka "professional growth."
Ingrid Backstrom
World traveler, prolific ripper, reader and smiler, Ingrid lives in a cabin at the base of Squaw Valley.
Nate Abbott
Driven by coffee, powder, music, laughing, books and possibilities, photographer Nate is a lurker with Leica.
Liam Downey
Vermonster, Level 1 vet and large animal veterinarian, Liam's 6-foot-5 frame makes him a large animal himself.