Video: Kirill Benderoni Posts Footage of the Crash that Left Him in a Coma

Jan 15, 2019
by James Smurthwaite  

Now this is a tough watch. Kirill Benderoni is out of hospital and has posted the footage of the crash that put him in a coma and landed him in intensive care for three weeks.

Kirill overshot this 70 foot jump, broke his collarbone and was instantly knocked out. At the time, we reported:

bigquotesOn September 21st, Kirill Churbanov - more commonly known as Benderoni - had a severe accident while riding on his home trails close to Moscow. He overshot one of his big backcountry gap jumps, broke his collarbone upon crash landing and was immediately knocked out by the impact. Kirill was wearing a full face helmet as well as a Leatt brace. He didn't regain consciousness and when he was delivered to a hospital about five hours later he was put in an artificial coma to help deal with his injuries.Ekaterina Ukraintseva

That was back in September and in the past few weeks we've heard that Kirill is out of hospital, walking and home, he still has months of rehab ahead but thankfully he should be past the worst of it. This footage wasn't shared until he was on the road to recovery but this crash shows it could have been much worse for Kirill. He wrote on Instagram, "Normal and POV angles of my crash. Having too much speed is probably the worst thing that can happen on such jumps, and it happened."

We wish Kirill all the best in his continued recovery.

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108 Comments
  • 62 0
 Holy shit !! Kirill get well soon!!
  • 2 0
 I've been following him on youtube about this jump for a few years. Last year he was hitting it brakeless and just clearing it and they had been moving it back so they didnt have to brake check anymore (before there was alot). Crazy to come back to the same jump, same setup as before, and launch another 15-20 ft further than any other attempt.
  • 2 0
 Imagine the neckbrace didnt snap his collarbone
  • 9 0
 @chyu: sooner a collar bone than a neck......
  • 14 0
 after reading the article with the results of the crash, it wasn’t till the clip was over that I realized I’d held my breath for the duration of it. Hoping for a full recovery. Take it slow. The world will still be here when your body and brain is ready.
  • 11 1
 Wind... It's a mofo sometimes. I think that's what happened if you watch the bike move at the end... Wishing you speedy recovery Kirill, then you can get back to what you love! Shreddin hard.
  • 2 0
 That’s what I thought as well.....it doesn’t take much wind for the bike to start getting pull away from you.
  • 5 1
 Seems there's no wind at all, watch the trees and the dust.

It's really strange that his bike front turned to the left in the end... Don't think this is an intened move not to crash into the bike. In this panic situation your cerebellum takes control and does whatever it takes. I experienced this lately approaching a fallen tree on the trail that came in sight very late. My fingers pulled the brakes hard, but I did not do that, you know. Almost broke my neck :-(
  • 1 1
 Looks like wind to me too!
  • 2 0
 ran out of tranny
  • 2 1
 @SithBike: If I had a nickel...
  • 7 0
 Not ever watching crash vids like that after having to see Johnny Waddell's played over and over in my head and the life altering repurcussions it had for him. Hope you come through sir.
  • 5 1
 Not only is this insane. But the fact that it happened in Russia. If anybody is familiar with Eric Pollard’s (skier) Russia nightmare it will make this story that much more significant, give it a quick search and scare the crap out of yourself today.
  • 8 1
 Incase anyone was wondering what happened to Eric Pollard:
www.skimag.com/adventure/eric-pollards-road-recovery
  • 4 0
 Kirill took it like a true Russian too, no scream of terror or anything as he hurtled to earth at ~60 km/h
  • 3 0
 I had been watching all his videos of the progression of what appeared to be his main jump line for training. That last jump on which he crashed always looked kinda crazy in his videos like it would really send you and you also couldn’t really come up short but looked like safe enough landing zone. Just goes to show it can happen to anyone anytime. Loved your instagram videos and hope to see you out there filming again someday. We
  • 5 14
flag arrowheadrush (Jan 15, 2019 at 10:00) (Below Threshold)
 "it can happen to anyone anytime" not so sure about that, not many people out there sending 70 foot jumps on pedal bikes
  • 4 0
 @arrowheadrush: anyone hitting big features
  • 14 13
 Get well Kiril. That crash looked bad, but we see what appear to be worse crashes at rampage almost every year. I wonder what went so wrong here. Was his helmet crushed? Could it have been his torso getting smacked that put him in that condition? Internal organ impact does cause knockouts (boxing liver shots).
  • 21 1
 Yeah it doesn't look "so bad" but you see that he took almost full
Impact on the side of his head, the bike was sideways so it didn't absorb anything. In rampage/fest they often eject and then they partially absorb the shock with their limbs, here he couldn't.
It's always hard to understand how some guy that fell from an airplane could survive with few scratches while some people die from slipping on an icy sidewalk. Random luck/bad luck
  • 39 0
 Rampage dirt appears to be pretty soft and those big crashes tend to involve a lot of tumbling/rolling on steeper terrain which should help dissipate the forces over time.. Here he pretty much came to a dead stop on flat ground going easily 50-60 km/h and from quite high.
  • 18 0
 @FRsqwitzerland: exactly, its not the speed that gets you, its the suddenly coming to a stop part
  • 3 2
 Pure speculation but I would assume he brain slammed into his skull. We all know that helmets aren't great at keeping your brain from moving. I've landed/crash similar on 10ft jumps with a similar head impact that caused a pretty serious concussion. I can only imagine the force caused from his head hitting the ground at that speed.
  • 5 1
 What went wrong here? He overshot a 70 foot jump and landed on flat. It’s a crapshoot whether you get seriously injured anytime you go down on such a big hit. All the protection in the world can’t save you sometimes from a head or neck injury. Sure guys at rampage get up and walk away from worse “looking,” crashes, but some don’t. Big hits equal big risk.
  • 7 3
 @SupraKZ Which bit of this didn’t look too bad? He just fell out of the sky at 40 mph and landed on his head and just stopped dead. I suggest you go and look at it again.
  • 3 1
 @thenotoriousmic: "The crash looked bad" is what I said buddy. Are you feeling well?
  • 1 0
 Sorta looks he got sideways in the air, that caused the crash more than the overshoot.
  • 5 0
 It was an 80-foot huck to flat. A lot of the big crashes at Rampage are still on steep pitches, so the deceleration isn't as severe--they keep rolling down the hill.

Trauma is all about energy transfer, and the deceleration is what multiplies the force of the impact. Consider laying a motorcycle down at 100mph and skidding for a while (gradual deceleration) vs hitting a wall head on at 100mph (instantaneous, extreme deceleration). Some of it does come down to luck and other factors, but in the end it's the force applied to each organ vs how much it can tolerate.
  • 1 0
 @SupraKZ: you’re acting surprised I’m just telling you why I wasn’t.
  • 2 1
 I wonder if it would have been worse without the leatt? would it have been better for him if he'd had a better helmet? either way thats a huge Bummer hope he gets well soon!

*not saying his helmet was bad just curious if a helmet filled with D30 would have helped*
  • 27 0
 My little brother was in an accident a week ago, and he was wearing a top-of-the-line 6D helmet. He has undergone a few brain surgeries, including a craniectomy, and he remains in a coma. No helmet can prevent concussions; they merely reduce forces transferred to the brain during an accident.
  • 3 0
 Oh yeah, and healing vibes to Kirill.
  • 32 0
 @spankthewan: Damn man. I hope your lil bro gets better Frown
  • 3 2
 @spankthewan: well, it would probably be possible with bulky air-foam-gel helmet, in the end, preventing a concussion just means absorbing the shock in the most linear way so that the brain barely feels anything. The thing is we can't wear a device with 200mm of multidimensional travel around our head while riding a bike. The (Swedish?) helmet made of air cushions had the best rating if I recall well, but it's huge and unpractical.
I hope your brother gets better soon
  • 10 0
 @spankthewan: I hope your brother pulls through man. Sounds awful.
  • 4 0
 @spankthewan: most people don’t realize the main function of a helmet is to prevent skull fracture, not concussions.
  • 2 0
 @sino428: This is true Helmet standards are built around a skull fracture threshold. Very few companies are talking about low-g impact. Low-g is where 80%+ of our crashes happen. I want softer materials next to my head without a big bobble head of a helmet.
I believe there are only a few brands really pushing safer helmets.
  • 2 0
 @jonnymanbikes: Yea its very hard. Concussion results from the brain slamming into the inside of the skull due to the rapid deceleration of the head (like when it slams the ground). The way to stop this is to make the deceleration less severe, but then only real way to do that is to extend the distance over which the head decelerates (think car airbags and crumple zones). Unfortunately the only real way to increase that distance is to make a big bobble head helmet.
  • 2 0
 @sino428: its a balance. Build a thicker helmet and that would increase rotational torque.

You can use softer gel like materials to decelerate the brain. I just learned that the most important part of an impact is the first 15 milliseconds. If your helmet has hard foam or a hard plastic liner it is doing very little in those first few moments.
Soft materials for the win!
  • 2 0
 @sino428: I said softer gel materials but you can also use multiple density EPS liners. One of the biggest advancements in helmets is called Cone Head- coneheadhelmets.com.au
A physicist named Don Morgan invented this.
  • 1 0
 @jonnymanbikes: These are cool and I'm sure there are ways to make a safer helmet, while keeping the size down. But, the size of the helmet will always be a limitation because without the proper distance for the head to decelerate, there will always be a high risk of concussion.
  • 1 0
 @sino428: Yes a thicker liner would slow linear acceleration, But a larger helmet adds to rotational torque.
Everything is a balance. I say give me a call while you are crashing and I'll tell you the best helmet.
  • 1 0
 @jonnymanbikes: I agree with you, and that point about balance is what I am trying to say. There are limitation on how big you can make a helmet, which means there will always be limitations on how safe you can make it.
  • 1 0
 @sino428: Yes you need to dissipate the energy in the space allowed. That's what stuff like ConeHead is doing its mitigating energy in the thickness allowed. You are correct when you say nothing is concussion proof.

I feel horrible this guy got hurt I would love to see the helmet. Jordie Lunn took a similar crash at dark fest last year and walked away. Helmet was destroyed.
  • 2 0
 @spankthewan: Hope your little brother has a full speedy recovery man. So sorry this is awful.
  • 2 0
 @zede: that swedish made air cushion that is supposed to inflate when you crash?

My friend had one of those for commuting to work. He slid out on a corner going too fast and it didn't inflate at all. He hit his head on a kerb and spent two weeks in a coma. He is still unable to work over a year later and has serious memory trouble. f*ck those guys for releasing something that can't even do its basic function.
  • 1 0
 I wouldn't even know where to start with a jump like that and i like jumps but it seems to me that overshooting was the least of his problems. Still probably would have smash his head if he landed sideways at the top of the landing.
  • 1 0
 Scary footage!

Kirill was shredding up until the overshoot, just goes to show how easily / quickly it can all go wrong whether you’re a pro or a noob. I’ve had a couple of mates take nasty ones and break vertebrae on stuff they’ve hit loads of times and were more than comfortable on.

Get well soon Kirill
  • 1 0
 I really hope that you get better brother I send you nothing but the best vibe n I really wish I could do something to help you!! For now I’ll just pray for you n many others mtbers that go thru some sort of injury. Stay safe guys
  • 1 0
 When your home trails have hits like that, you have got some epic home trails... KC glad you are out of the hospital and getting around, hell glad you are still with us period! The thrill of going big is a great feeling and your lust for that feeling is as big as your sack bro!! Wish you landed it clean, sucks to see you out on the ground like that, just brutal!! Best wishes with the recovery and wishing you the best from the USA. Holler if ya need anything!!
  • 1 0
 Boldness is ALWAYS impressive to watch. But, there is old saying in climbing, "There are old climbers, there are bold climbers, there aren't many old, bold climbers". Just the way it is. Hope he gets well soon and nails that jump!!!
  • 3 1
 I can't gather the courage to click play... Great to hear you are home and walking again! Best wishing as the healing process continues!
  • 2 0
 So good to hear hes back on his Feet,Benderoni is an Animal in its purest form if anyone could get Back and Stomp this Bitch its him,best wishes to him
  • 2 0
 Serious question, how do you judge speed on gaps like this. I mean I can barely do it on something 10× smaller. These gaps are intense.
  • 3 0
 that was just terrible. I hope you will be healthy soon and that you will shred soon. all the best!
  • 3 1
 If there wasn't video of that scientists would be examining that crater left by his head wondering where the meteorite had disappeared to after impact.
  • 5 1
 good thing he had a neck brace on
  • 2 0
 And so starts the debate...
  • 1 0
 "Going down and injuring yourself is huge part of the sport. If you're on the edge of your riding, you go down and every once and a while you go down hard" - The Claw

Heal up bruv.
  • 7 4
 Wow! Get healthy and stomp that bitch
  • 5 5
 WHY?
  • 3 1
 @james711: Why what?
  • 10 2
 @pipomax: why go back and "stomp that bitch". Maybe don't stomp anything for a while, since it nearly killed him the first time. I think that's what James was going for.
  • 6 2
 being a rider a rider getting injured you have to come back and hit it again clean. Some don’t get it but some do. This cat most likely gonna come back strong af then stomp that landing and ride away smiling. Then go on to look for 90 foot jump since he over shot the 70.
  • 12 0
 @james711: for a lot of people getting back in the saddle and conquering demons and fears is a crucial and necessary part of the healing process, it all depends on how youre wired. It can consume you, your every thought, and mentally tear you to pieces. Conquering that fear/demon is possibly the most euphoric and liberating feeling one will ever feel. We should all wish Kirill luck and support no matter what he choses.
  • 4 0
 @nhtowa421: PERFECT way to describe it and absolutely agree with the last sentence.
  • 1 0
 That was an awfully hard crash. Get well soon Benderoni and please watch for after effects from a concussion. It can be deadly.
  • 2 0
 Wow, anyone else think it looks like he dropped in the from sky at the beginning of this? Glad he's on the mend!
  • 3 0
 Ебануся чувак попал(
  • 1 0
 Jeez! That was a brutal wreck off an enormous jump. Wishing you a continued and full recovery, Kirill.
  • 1 0
 Healing vibes to you, Kirill From now on, you’ll be known as Kirill Sender-oni to me!
  • 1 0
 Russians are fucking hard. Speedy recovery fella, I bet the camera man got freaked out.
  • 1 0
 Get well man. Take care of yourself. We are glad you are getting better.
  • 1 0
 Fest sized jump with a backyard sized landing. Get well soln
  • 1 0
 holy shit get well soon dude
  • 1 0
 Wow that was so much speed and distance, amazing to be alive.
  • 1 0
 Holy shit .... glad you're ok dood. get well soon!
  • 1 0
 tough to watch...hope he'll be alright
  • 1 0
 holy fuuuuuuu. that was hard
  • 1 0
 Godspeed on your recovery ~ no words on that landing...
  • 1 0
 you're badass, get well soon buddy!!! cheers from Chile!!
  • 1 0
 Jesus that’s bad Eek glad he is up and walking again! Heal soon man!!!
  • 2 2
 Absolutely disgusting. I’m selling my bikes. Also I assume he’s ok now?
  • 1 0
 lol. Sell them!
  • 1 1
 @n1ck: it’s made me not want to ride anymore. One of the worst crashes I’ve seen.
  • 1 0
 He sent it............. to the moon
  • 1 0
 Even the camera went in coma!!
  • 2 0
 Ummmmmm get well
  • 1 0
 Holy Sh#t...speedy recovery!
  • 1 0
 yikes. get well dude!
  • 1 0
 Stay strong dude!
  • 1 0
 Get well!
  • 1 0
 Faaaark, heal fast mate.
  • 4 5
 5 hrs to get a knocked out guy to the hospital?
  • 10 0
 Well, you never know how fast his buddies called, how "remote" this area was and/or how difficult it was to find him. I crashed my dirt bike in Mammoth in 2009 but was luckily next to a access road so the medics could easily get to me. The medics told me a year before that they had to stretcher a guy out of the backcountry by foot and it took 21 hours.

A buddy of mine had a heart attack this past April while riding San Clemente Singletracks in Orange County, CA. This is a major metro area with a couple million residents and a trauma hospital less than 10 miles away. We did CPR for 45 minutes before the ground medics got to us. They had called in Life Flight but they couldn't land because of overhead power lines. The ground medics then had to stabilize him, stretcher him 1/2 mile to their ambulance, drive slowly out on dirt roads and after 2+ hours, he was at the hospital....10 miles away!!
  • 4 3
 I think it means 5 hours after getting admitted to the hospital they decided to put him in a coma.
  • 3 0
 @hypno-newt: "he was delivered to a hospital about five hours later"
copied and pasted, that means it took five hours to get him to the hospital. Having been rescued from the backcountry after a skiing accident, that sounds about right. It's not a quick process, especially given that he was unconscious; that would definitely complicate things.
  • 5 0
 @kjjohnson: well some punctuation would help, as it can be read both ways.
Much like the sentence
helping my uncle jack off a horse.
helping my uncle Jack, off a horse.
  • 1 1
 @k2rider1964: Whoa. That's way beyond the 10 minute threshold for CPR. Is your buddy OK?
  • 2 0
 Benderoni uploaded a vid where he tells about the crash. At the end of the vid you see his mate filming the crash. That guy tried to get him back to consciousness for about 20 minutes. Failing to succeed he called the ambulance and ran to the near road to meet them and show them the way.

The spot is in the Moscow suburbs and getting back to Moscow at that time of the day - Benderoni says in the vid that they were waiting for the sun to get lower so it won’t blind them - could be really tricky as even an ambulance can’t even get through due to the rush hour.
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