 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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davkt, I saw this too on Racer Readys page, it is an utter disgrace, I honestly do not know what to say.He has GOT to resign.
My heart bleeds for the athletes who should have been at Sochi.
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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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I'm an ignoramus on all this, but it does sound really disgraceful.
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Not so sure that he's incorrect about some of the points fixing though it's a dangerous thing for anyone who wants to be part of the club to be saying. But to imply that BSS then feels free to apply its own rules because of it is pretty disgraceful. Taken to extreme they could take a view that judges were bent in any judged discipline so no Brit athlete could qualify etc.
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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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It depends whether it's true or not, doesn't it?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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He should get his coat and F**k off.
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He wont resign but needs to be fired... Be interesting to find out who he reports to and how best to pressure his removal.
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The man hasn't a clue about ski racing.
I am sure all the guys & Girls throwing themselves down DH courses are 'fixing' the results 
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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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With such an out of touch person as BSS Performance Director it's hardly surprising that so many incomprehensible selection decisions for Sochi have been made (no Emily Sarsfield, Dougie Crawford etc..)
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I'm not sure I understand this at all. He receives a letter of complaint regarding the giving up of Olympic places. He stated in writing that he believed that the rankings were fixed, and that was the reason for not taking places.
He may well have believed that the places were fixed, and withdrew it to keep his job, it might even be true. It's hard to figure how something based on race times would be fixed unless there was a massive conspiracy involving the skiers deliberately going slow! What puzzles me is even if it were true how that might explain not sending athletes. Have I missed something?
Onthe face of it, he's toast.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davkt, If anyone wants to read the actual email he sent, I have the original!!
I also have one stating that TJ would miss these Olympics (dated May 2012), 6 months before the actual selection criteria for Team GB had been decided!!
There was an agenger by Paddy/BSS not to send hardly any GB Alpine athletes to the games. They wanted to hit Alpine hard as they had dominated the running of SSGB & the new federation BSS wanted that to change.
His position at BSS is totally untenable. He has to be sacked!
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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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Plugboy,
Who do we send our email to asking for him to be sacked?
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finestgreen, Definitly not true!
In the 9 seasons that TJ has raced FIS (over 550 races), which includes all levels, CIT, NJR, NJC, NC, FIS, SAC, NAC, EC, World Junior champs, World Cup & World champs he has only seen it happen on 1 occasion. That was at the British Slalom Championships in 2008 when Julian Lizereux (then world No 3) pulled up on the 2nd run for the last 4 gates to help the then up and coming Alexis Pinterault to lower his points. That is how rare it is, that it still can be remembered from so long ago. But 1 in 550 races is not common is it?
It will probably happen in lots of other skiing/snowboarding disciplines occasionally too. But saying that the whole system is fixed is a total insult to the GB racers that throw themselves down the hill, risking life and limb in the hope of becoming the best in GB.
Why does he thhink that there sre so many DNF's in races? They can't ski?
No it's Mr Mortimer that can't ski. In 2 yers in post he has never even been to any training camp or races to see what the Alpine athletes actually do. He has no interest or passion for the sport that he is supposed to be performance director of. Yet he still tried to write programmes for some of them.
I have emails for that too.
He must go.
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You know it makes sense.
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Plugboy, you can see his point though, most people are snowbiarding these days and spend most of their time in the park or doing freestyle. The pistes are empty and there is just no interest whatsoever in alpine.
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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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| Quote: |
The pistes are empty and there is just no interest whatsoever in alpine.
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Really? where will you be skiing during the half term, I need to go there? There are over a 100 race clubs in the UK alone
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Poster: A snowHead
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jbob ... Looking at his photo in the link above ..... he's been toasted already !!
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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 Toasted ...
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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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| Plugboy wrote: |
No it's Mr Mortimer that can't ski. In 2 years in post he has never even been to any training camp or races to see what the Alpine athletes actually do. He has no interest or passion for the sport that he is supposed to be performance director of. Yet he still tried to write programmes for some of them.
I have emails for that too. |
That is incredible! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Plugboy wrote: |
davkt, If anyone wants to read the actual email he sent, I have the original!!
I also have one stating that TJ would miss these Olympics (dated May 2012), 6 months before the actual selection criteria for Team GB had been decided!!
There was an agenger by Paddy/BSS not to send hardly any GB Alpine athletes to the games. They wanted to hit Alpine hard as they had dominated the running of SSGB & the new federation BSS wanted that to change.
His position at BSS is totally untenable. He has to be sacked! |
Yup, I knew you were party to the offending email, and have had all sorts of other c&*p to put up from them. Its all getting quite entertaining on the Racer Ready Facebook page and quite a lot of tweets to @paddym67 @TeamBSS suggesting he quits or is firmly pushed out. Meanwhile on the wtf Ski Club facebook page Konrad Bartelski started out saying all was fine and BSS were doing a great job with young talent and everyone qualified went to the olympics without any obstacles put in their way by BOA/BSS. Now it has been pointed out he is talking rubbish he seems to have gone quiet!
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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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| stewart woodward wrote: |
Plugboy,
Who do we send our email to asking for him to be sacked? |
Think it is whole of the BSS we need rid of!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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under a new name, What a load of tosh! Go anywhere and it's snowboarding that is dying out. Less and less on boards more on skis.
No point to his arguement.
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I assume under a new name's comment was tongue-in-cheek.
As for this BSS bully-boy, clearly doesn't know how to use sun cream either. What a bulb...
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I've found the BSS press release put out when Paddy Mortimer was appointed Performance Director back in 2011.
He might have an extensive knowledge of Football and Rugby Team sports, but it seems his knowledge of single athlete snow related sports activities is three fifths of bugger all...
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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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I was sort of surprised when Eddie Edwards commented in his recent TV interview that he was prevented from competing by the UK authorities after his Olympics appearance and I suspect that the current situation is perhaps the ongoing fall out from Eddie and those games.
Given that Eddie (for me) embodies the Olympic ideal, the recent selection decisions are appalling.
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And in reply to me posting this article and the comment "Seems like arguments used by senior officials in the UK system to support the selection criteria are false as well" on the wtf facebook page Konrad has replied "Nothing false with the arguments. I am part of the BSS hierarchy and am happy to deal with facts, not viral speculation." could be reading this wrong but it seems to me he doesn't think Paddy has done anything to apologise for!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Plugboy, you're American, aren't you? You see, there's this thing that some find funny (most don't) called "irony"... Google it.
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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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You got me!
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Plugboy, titter 
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You know it makes sense.
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| davkt wrote: |
| Think it is whole of the BSS we need rid of! |
Probably difficult to do until Scotland agree to a constitution for BSS.
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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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5 spots wasted. Unreal..Dougie Charlie Alex and TJ and Emm should be there.
The mind boggles.
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Poster: A snowHead
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An article by Graham Bell in the March edition of Fall Line magazine says this:
"By inviting a small group of international racers with good ranking points, they could fix a good penalty for the race and allow the local skiers a chance to race with good start numbers ... Now, the bonanza will not work if the invited world-class skiers decide to ski like they have the devil chasing them. So, the organisers would ensure that the top skiers were well fed and watered the night before the competition."
I don't think it's outrageous to describe this as a fix...?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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finestgreen,
Its not outrageous to describe this as a fix, but this really needs to be put into context.
Plugboy quoted an example where an invited champion deliberately slowed down to help the points of younger lesser rated skiers.Rumour has it that a British parent paid a top French skier to do like wise years ago. Those are the only 2 examples I know of in 10 years of international racing my child has taken part in.
It is not something the athletes/coaches concern themselves with as it happens so rarely.
By the way, when it does, every racer that finishes close to the winners time will benefit from lower FIS points, in that particular race, so you could argue that it is not as selfish as might first appear.
Ski racing is one of the most brutal sports to progress in, the odds are so stacked against you ,more so if you have limited disposable income,and coaches that don't know the sport or have first class contacts for training etc
Whilst you cannot practice through a Slalom/GS or Super G course, you will often find that in World and Europa Cups the host nation allow only their national team the advantage of training on the race hill 2 days before he event.
This happened in a recent Europa Cup in Chamonix, where my sons French team mates were invited with the national French Team to train at Chamonix, whilst he had to train somewhere else in France, and joined them on race day.
Our alpine skiers know all the disadvantages that await them and accept this as part of the life of being a ski racer, as do their parents !
Sir Ben Ainsley received death threats after beating his scandanavian rival the final of an (Olympic ?) boat race. He knew that his opponent had to finish better than 23rd place to give him the title. What did Sir Ben do?. He tactically though deliberately slowed his opponent down to make sure he finshed at least 24th thereby winning.
That's not cheating, its using the rules to your absolute advantage. Similarly think of the " team orders" in formula 1.
So back to skiing, this penalty fixing is a storm in a teacup, in Alpine ski racing world, a sport that the dedication and hard work of the athletes/coaches is clear for all, except perhaps Paddy to see.
Jesus, our British Skiers need all the help (within the rules of course) they can get, because rest assured the Alpine nations/coaches are doing everything they can to give their lads any advantage.
Yes it may happen, yes it has happened, but I think Paddy picked up a ball and ran with it when there was really no need. What British Skiers need is support and encouragement from their governing body and the odd favour or helping hand would not go amiss either.
Finally, some people on here and Facebook do themselves, our athletes,and our sport, no favours by personalised insults or deleted expletives at BSS. I totally understand your anger, but its not as powerful as reasoned- informed argument, a la plugboy 
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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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Alpine row deepens....
Quote "The criticisms of British Ski and Snowboard have been receiving huge support on social media with Emma Carrick-Anderson, a four-time Olympian now a media commentator, saying: "His claim is ridiculous. Where was I when these so-called 'rigged' races were going on?"
and "Malcolm Erskine, British Ski Academy director, said a public meeting will today discuss the selection issues that have been raised and the governance of the sport. He wants a vote of no confidence to be called into the way British Ski and Snowboard has been running the sport."
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The whole concept of denying places to athletes who desperately need the experience goes against every grain of the Olympic ideal. So what bif the don't achieve a podium place. After competing they may put even more dedication into surpassing themselves at the next games. It's like the British motorbike industry all over again. Lack of clear management and long term investment leads to stagnation and the rest of the world passing us by.
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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.
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During FIS races I have watched skiers roll out of gates, start and put goggles on before the first turn, check speed before finishing, drink a beer in the start hut, one semi-famous skier even blew out and was given a re-run to help out, reason cited "snowbadger on course"! I never saw it but that one could of course be true!
Maybe this all stopped recently (last time I saw this was like 7/8 years ago) but there is no doubting that it did happen... a lot! Guy may be a tool, i've never met him so i dont know, and the media may have found a terrible picture to make us dislike him immediately, but he is (in my limited experience) not wrong!
p.s. Please stop demanding public figures get the immediate sack when they make a mistake! I once refered to one of our customers as a very naughty word! (in my defence he is) and my boss heard, it was a mistake, I got told off, but I learnt my lesson and I won't do it again.... that's how we learn! Firing me on the spot would not have helped anyone! maybe he should get a second chance?
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dulcamara, I was watching the race where Julien Lizeroux "helped" Alexis Pintaurault, he also helped Dave Ryding as it was his lowest point score at the time though only by 3, I have seen one or two cases at CIT races where the winner slowed down a bit near the finish. I guess you could also question whether Dave or the Baxters were really skiing at World Cup pace in other years at the British Champs or just doing enough to win.
I think things even out at the top end, for every race where somebody slows down a bit there will be plenty where you get WC level racers in a FIS race where they hit the minimum penalty. Check out Julien Lizeroux's recent results, he has several 9.00 and a 6.00 where the calculated penalty should be lower, not many people will have made points those days.
Paddy Mortimer might have a point if we had racers on the borderline of the A standard but they are well under.
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dulcamara, Mr Mortimer knows nothing about skiing. Take it from me and ALL the coaches you speak to & ALL the athletes you speak to. He comes from a Football background working at Chelsea for 9 months before BSS. Chelsea did not give him a reference!
There has just been a meeting at the English Alpine champs in Bormio with a vote of no confidence for Paddy & Konrad Bartelski being passed with no votes against.
This included All of the Snowsport England Board + Exectutive, 3 members of the BSS Alpine committee, Various GB academy heads& coaches plus 2 former GB Olympians. Only 1 abstention.
Mr Mortimer is actually in Sochi for the whole 2 weeks taking a valuable space which an athlete could have had. I don't think him being there will make any difference to any GB athletes performance at all. Rubbing salt into the wounds of those that were left behind!
No one in the Alpine world has any faith in Mr Mortimer or Konrad Bartelski. Their time is up!
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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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Haha, so the guy IS a tool! good to know!
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Plugboy, Good to hear, do you think it will make any difference or just be brushed off in the usual Konrad/Paddy we know better than you manner?
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FAQ
