"Although I don't believe the overall risk is high enough to mandate their use. Snowboarders, especially beginners, should also think carefully about using wrist guards to reduce the chances of a wrist injury.

"We know that on average snowboarding has an injury rate about twice that of alpine skiing -- mainly due to those wrist injuries amongst beginner snowboarders falling onto outstretched hands," he added.

At the elite end, where speeds and the degree of daring are breathtaking, helmets are compulsory, but they cannot always prevent the tragedies which befell Zoricic and Burke.

The FIS Congress in May 2012 promised urgent action to investigate the area of competitor safety, particularly in Ski Cross where four competitors start at the same time and battle it out over a course involving jumps and steep turns.

Council member Michel Vion was appointed to chair a newly-appointed Ski Cross Working Group, which was composed of experts with a wide range of experience across the ski disciplines.

He had an added remit to "leverage cross discipline expertise in safety matters, notably with Alpine Skiing and Ski Cross in mind," read a report on the official FIS website.

"Safety is our utmost focus but ours is a sport in which some risk always remains," FIS spokesperson Riikka Rakic told CNN.

Good advice

Improvements to equipment have led to reductions in injury rates, for instance the introduction of quick release mechanisms dramatically cut the number of lower leg fractures, while smarter ski design is helping the downward injury trend in the alpine disciplines, according to ISSS statistics.

But with improved protection from equipment such as ski body armor, is there a danger of being lulled into a false sense of security and to attempt something above your ability level?

"My bottom line is -- If you wouldn't do the trick without the kit, think very carefully about attempting it with the kit," said Langran.

It would appear to be good advice and he elaborates for the benefit of beginners taking to the piste for the first time.

"Take your time to gain experience on the slopes. Get professional instruction but don't be tempted to try too much too soon, especially if encouraged by more experienced friends.

"Read and follow the FIS rules. Use the best equipment you can, wear a helmet whenever possible and, if you're a snowboarder, get yourself a pair of good quality wrist guards," he emphasized again.

With an estimated 200 million skiers and 70 million snowboarders in the world today, there are plenty of people who would do well to heed this advice and his overall message is that responsible participants have nothing more to fear on the slopes in comparison to other sporting activities.