Wha’ppen?!

Wha’ppen?! is kind of short for what happened in 2006, a ski movie from french WW films. WW crew also involves Candide Thovex. If you are not sure who is Candide Thovex – he comes France where he learned to ski in the Aravis region of the French Alps called La Clusaz, where he perfected his big air technique. People started noticing him when he took fourth place in 1998 X Games Big Air, but what really kicked him into the orbit was the fact that Candide Thovex became the first person to clear Chad’s Gap.

Wha’ppen?!

What about Chad’s gap?

Chad’s gap is the gap jump in the world. You can find the gap in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, across the street from Alta Ski Area in Grizzly Gulch. Gap is named after Chad Zurinskas (who found it in 1999). He kind of thought it would be possible to jump it. Together with Candide Thovex, Andy Brewer, Brent Benson and ski-movie maker Kris Ostness they built a 5-foot jump to try and clear the gap. Chad tried twice and failed, but just as the film equipment was being packing up Candide Thovex asked Chad’s persmission to attempt the gap. Candide Thovex landed it on his second try, pulling at that time the, “largest, cleanest mute grab ever recorded!”

Few days later Chad also jumped it on his third attempt of the day.

What do you need to yoump Chads Gap?

• Two skis or one snowboard
• A pair of basketball sized balls made of steel
• A huge kicker, like a 14-foot (4.25m) one
• lots of speed, go at least 50 mph (80kph)

Interested? Look what happened to Tanner Hall, sun got out, snow got soft and slower and Tanner Hall broke both of his ankles.