Skier fleeing avalanche pulls off epic backflip

(CBS News) Imagine this: you're skiing down the side of a mountain for a competition with an avalanche hot (err, cold) on your heels. Suddenly, you find yourself coming up on a hill jump where the only clear option for survival is - wait for it - a backflip! Yeah, that's right! Watch it all unfold in this insane video above. And the backflip escape action occurs at about 57 seconds.

So maybe he didn't need to do the backflip, but it definitely added to the drama that is this surreal moment in skiing. The skier in question is Sverre Liliequist, who accidentally triggered the avalanche during the Second Big Mountain run at the Swatch Skiers Cup 2013 in Zermatt, Switzerland. 

Can I just say that you are the man, Sverre! This marks the second impressive backflip we've seen in 24 hours (and now gives us the backflip on boards trifecta of skiing, skateboarding and surfing). Just throwing that fact out there for those keeping track at home. And for more great videos and news from the Swatch Skiers Cup 2013, be sure to visit their website by clicking here.