 Poster: A snowHead
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Late starter, glad you enjoyed it, and congrats on your first  meeting. I probably say you too then, as we were the next door gazebo!
Regarding the technical level of the course.
It was certainly the most technically demanding course I've skied, but then that's sort of to be expected. We had one of a very similar pattern for the LSERSA race at Aldershot, but with only one awkward gate rather than a combination of three - which makes it much easier. Our best guy, who skis mostly at this level (and the GP/championships levels as well) reckoned it was about middling - not particularly easy, but nothing too difficult either. It was pretty straightforward - with essentially one crucial corner defining how it needed to be skied, with everything else following on from that. Just a shame for me, and several others, that we never worked out that solution. Nearly all the skiouts were either at that corner, or some managed to stave off the inevitable for a couple of gates more before losing it.
Of the 101 male starters (excluding the minis) 19 failed to get a place, and 6 of the 49 female starters failed to complete - so the male failure rate was approaching twice that of the females. Looking at the distribution of those males, 1 was in the top 10 in the country another 3 in the top 50 (all of whom would have been expected to be in the top 15 finishers), 7 more between there and the normal level of ski and myself, with the remaining 6 at the newcomers' end. Without checking results of other races, I can't tell whether that's abnormal or not. I do think though that it shows it was a pretty good test - providing a definite challenge for the top end, and allowing their differences to show up, but also allowing some competition for the less able. Those "top 50 guys" were really going for it, and needed to to get/retain a decent placing. The top two were clearly in a technical class of their own, and to me there was another clear divider after the next 16 or so. Anyone who got below 11 seconds was clearly technically very good. A less challenging course would have provided discrimination essentially on how quickly they could accelerate and keep/generate speed through the course, as opposed to this one which did a bit of that, but majored on testing how well you could get around those central three turns.
Looking at some of the results though, it looks to me as if there was a definite advantage to being small. The points for most of the adults and later teenagers I've looked at showed them 20-30 points higher than their listed seed points (as I mentioned on the previous page, there's a list of "seed points" that give you a measure of how far you are behind effectively the British champion, low is good). The ones that seemed to match or (very rarely) beat their seed points were basically the Childrens or Junior categories. As the general view is that you need weight for straight courses, and light wiry types for turny technical courses, that would say to me that this was quite a technical course. (There is of course an alternative explanation, in that the younger ones are going to be those that are improving fastest).
Now, it's all gsb's fault I was there at all - he sold it to me as a confidence-building "rehearsal" for the upcoming LSERSA race. I guess we could say on that basis it's not 100% successful  : the Masters' representation there was almost identical to the regular turnout for LSERSA, and all the rest of them managed to complete the course  , although not necessarily as they would have liked. However the rebuillding started with a solo session yesterday, at which I got to try out my new skis....ME LIKE THEM  . Took a couple of runs to get where the balance point was, but then the first run down a 1 mat wide corridor I got two turns more in than I've ever managed before. They have a much better grip and clearly want to turn more - but they do like throwing you onto your tail if you don't concentrate. After a few switches between the new and old skis I essentially repeated the pattern of Sunday's course, found the source of the problem I'd been having and made a bit of progress fixing it.
At the end of the session I went back to the old skis and tried again. First turn.....they slid out and I hit the deck. Mmm, I'm now regretting not having the guts to try them out on Sunday; they could have made a big difference, but it would have been a very high-risk strategy  .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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GrahamN, As a big lardy, I love the rationalisation and shall use this excuse when I see my "targets" next as with one exception they were all small and light.
What were the new skis. Obviously a wonder tool so I need full details
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Late starter, Welcome to the racing club. Get your skis on next time; join Hemel and have a go. We will be at all the remaining ERSA races. Lucy can advise. These are much more relaxed events although I don't think the CN is particularly intense. We were all a bit shattered by the end of it though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks, together with saturdays result at Ipswich she had a great weekend. Off to Sunderland on friday
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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gsb, I will pop to Sunderland on Sunday - what time do things kick off ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So, how do you prepare for all time ski race number four having had a rough time at number three. You go on an introductory course on how to telemark obviously 
At least that is my latest excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Bassingbourn is not your typical dry ski slope; it's very short and its a hill but apart from that its all a bit different. You need your passport to get into an army base for starters. You then drive for a couple of miles through the assault course and the tank range (and the golf course) until you get to the sewage works. You are then let into the compound and are locked in. After all that you get to go skiing.
This was summer league race three in ERSA's series. Son (9) got back to winning ways and has started cross-blocking to very good effect (because unlike me he is early to the gates). Daughter (5) is now getting used to the idea of courses with double poles and breezed down to take third place. Mrs NickW also won her group (well, she was the only one in it!!) and skied very well I thought.
As for me I set off on the first run on some Volkl 5 stars having tried them out on the Friday before and instantly regretted it. The course was 11 gates fitted into a very short space and the rapidity of turn left me getting later and later for each gate until I hooked the last pole and fell head first over the line for my first DSQ. No real damage done but out came the trusty Atomics C11.16 for the next runs. Some steady improvement in the last two runs but I still failed to get the 3 run progression (start with a good one and then get better) that I am looking for. Overall a good day out and the dual slalom in the afternoon was fun (if brief).
Off to Ipswich this Sunday for round 4. It's a much longer slope apparently (it was the one we missed last year) which should be good for the learning curve.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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lampbus, Only just seen your post, a date for your diary 1st & 2nd Sept the 'All England Championships' at Sunderland
Absolute nighmare journey up there on Friday 7 1/2 hours normally just over 4hrs. 
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You know it makes sense.
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gsb, Sorry to hear that especially as it looked like your daughter didn't have the best of weekends. Any views on the Ipswich slope by the way?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Nick W, You're right, unfortunately the exact opposite of the previous weekend. One run out of five, really makes you appreciate the good days. Her little brother (bigger) managed to complete them all but a bit short of improving seed points.
It's good to have Ipswich homologated for CN's and it is very hopeful that it will also host a GP next year. It's a great slope for spectating, (they had a cake stall ) from memory about 15/16 gates.
I did not hear any bad comments about the slope either this or last year.
Following from my daughter
I really like Ipswich, its a bit odd to ski your 1st run down with the rollers and does take some getting used to.
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Poster: A snowHead
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gsb, Thanks KB. I just love rollers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Welcome vivski, Yes it did, oh what fun. I expect you will waste as many hours on here as the rest of us. I just looked at the results list, so I will know who you are to say hello in the future.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi gsb, , yes, if today is anything to go by I shall waste lots of time on here! No doubt I will see you at some races in the near future 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Welcome, vivski. Good to see someone from the frozen norf on here - it's all a bit southern biassed so far. I also see jonesa signed up recently, and I'm sort of surprised we never hear anything from rjs on this thread either, who also lists himself as a Manc - so shake 'em up for us!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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GrahamN, I don't ski on plastic.
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Shame (but I guess you've moved on to bigger and better things)
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GrahamN, Castleford is smaller than Rossendale, but it is a lot better.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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carrosa, welcome to snowHeads
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You know it makes sense.
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carrosa, Welcome to and to Hemel. Would your son have initials TC by any chance (CH2). If so, he skis with my son on a Monday and Friday. Anyway, see you Friday or on Sunday at Ipswich.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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vivski, I just signed up for the Gloucester CN (7th July) today. Are you going to be there? or is it a bit too far to drag the long suffering bf? (BTW, entries close tomorrow). I think one of the reasons we seem to be a bit southern biassed here is that we have very thriving regional competitions to give us a easy way in prior to the CN level. Do you have anything similar oop north? We get 5-6 races per summer in each region - and my club's in two regions so we get 11 regional races a year  . One of our guys at the Welwyn CN commented that that felt a bit like a cup tie, whereas the Regionals feel very much like the Championship - and that certainly struck a chord with me (despite having no interest in footie at all).
And carrosa, welcome to the highly-adictive madhouse.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Nick W, TC he is. I'll be there tonight on my bike if it isn't raining!, See you there.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Talking of Pontypool, which indeed has amonster walk from the car park - here's a pic of the slope about 25 years ago at a guess. I liked the slope a lot, but I understand that it's now been extended - it was quite long last time I was there.
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vivski, What it is to be young and care free and be able to lap the country at will. Not sure I fancy the petrol bills though.
The thing about focus is that whilst I don't seem to  I don't feel nervous either. This may be because I am cr*p at slalom but I don't think its that.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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vivski, Oh yes - the tree - great fun!!!
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FAQ
Admittedly it's not the best slope in the world - no grip, very old matting and now a horrendous eyesore of a quarterpipe on one side of the slope 
Like your training partner I hate to talk to anyone once I am in the queue for the start and never let anyone put my skis into the gate for me as so many others do as I just find it very distracting having anyone around - the bf comes up to the top usually and helps with putting various slippy start aids on the skis and I find that helps me to keep relatively calm and not panic, but once I get called to the queue he says good luck and heads off to watch and let me get focused (and panic!) 
