Zorb Video: Russia Accident Killed One, Injured Another
What is zorb or zorbing? It is when a man is strapped inside a giant transparent inflatable ball and rolls down a mountain. The sport is so popular in Russia that it is one of the symbols of next year’s Winter Olympics.
Unluckily, zorbing led to one dead and one injured on Thursday when the ball where the two guys were inside veered off the trail and went down the mountain slopes. Denis Burakov, 27, was killed while Vladimir Shcherbakov suffered head and spine injuries, according to The LA Times.
The accident prompted Russian officials to demand that authorities address its lax enforcement of safety rules for winter sports, citing a series of accidents over the January holidays. Sergei Loginov, deputy director of z-orb.ru, the largest supplier of zorbs in Russia, said the zorbing run that killed Burakov was in violation of all safety rules. Zorbing requires a groomed gentle slope with fences on both sides of the track and a secure spot at the bottom where the ball can be safely brought to rest, he said, but none of this was present.
“It’s not even irresponsibility. It’s an experiment on life,” Loginov said. “It’s all or nothing. They either survive or they don’t.”
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