 Poster: A snowHead
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The World's fastest downhillers have moved their wagons from Wengen to Kitzbuhel for the formidable Hahnenkamm 'Streif' downhill this Saturday 21 January.
The first training run on Tuesday saw the Austrians lay down the gauntlet: this report from Eurosport.
Full results of the first training run (this page will update with subsequent runs): FIS results
Slalom, super G and combined events will also take place over the weekend. Predicted temperatures are low, and snow conditions are good.
The official Hahnenkamm website: http://www.hahnenkamm.com
Of particular interest on that site is the 'Streif' downhill course description. Read about the infamous 'Startschuss' (very steep start, straight out of the hut), the 'Mausefalle' (mousetrap) and its compression, 'Steilhang' and its body-bending right-hander turn, and the gliding sections of the course where speed has to be carried.
There's also an excellent interactive course diagram. Run your mouse over the various course features for photos.
Anyone going to be there? It would be great to read some first-hand descriptions of the atmosphere, racing ... and partying!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 20-01-06 15:53; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The four Canadian racers at Kitzbuhel for this weekend - Érik Guay, François Bourque, John Kucera and Manuel Osborne-Paradis - have an average age of 22 and are newcomers to the 'Streif' course.
So ... their performances and results will be keenly watched. This article, by James Christie for the Globe and Mail, checks them out, and reflects on two appalling Kitzbuhel crashes that shook the racing careers of former Canadian downhillers Todd Brooker and Brian Stemmle, back in the 1980s.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 18-01-06 13:04; edited 1 time in total
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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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David Goldsmith, Having stood in (or very near) the start gate for the Hahnenkaam - I can confirm how ridiculously scary it looks! I have skiied most of the run (it is mostly a red run) - but it probably took me 10-15 mins more than the racers will take on Sat/Sun! The first "jump" is in a fenced off area from memory which isn't normally open to anyone else. I must remember to Sky+ it as I will be in Samoens this weekend (whoopee  )
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Is it on live? I was searching for it last night and could only find the highlights on Channel 4.
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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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Can't wait to see Graham Bell's footage on Ski Sunday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| jab10001 wrote: |
| Is it on live? |
Only on Eurosport. Ch 4 and the BBC will show highlights the following day.
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the full course is open for a day or two after the race (or anyway was about 18 years ago after I watched the race), but you could probably go under a rope at other times and do that first bit it at your own risk. Well, I did.
The start, including the Mausefalle jump is indeed terrifying and even skiing the Mausefalle straight from a stationary start takes some nerve.
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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 skied the last nasty bit, the Hausbergkante, last year. It looked OK (well, short) from the top, but it was a lot longer and a lot nastier than I expected; huge moguls (these presumably go for the race) and steep, blue ice.
Apparently it's snowing hard in Kitzbuhel at the minute.
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Eurosport showing African football this weekend! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| jab10001 wrote: |
| Eurosport showing African football this weekend! |
Really? And not the Hahnenkamm? I'm surprised!
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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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Today's Hahnenkamm training was cancelled due to heavy snow.
This report from Slam! Sports.
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| About 50 centimetres of snow blanketed the treacherous slope by early morning, and incessant snow, fog and gusty winds were forecast for the rest of the day - and likely into Thursday. Although the opening training run went on unhindered Tuesday, race stewards were scrambling to maintain the course to prevent another possible cancellation or shortening of the track by the weekend. |
There are various live streaming webcams in Kitzbuhel, if you'd like to see the snow coming down:
http://medien.kitz.net/webcams/default.asp
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Eurosport doesn't usually show the austrian races, so it's highlights for us all - unless you have analogue tuned in to Astra 1D! Bloody Sky spoiled that for us!
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You know it makes sense.
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An update on the conditions, preparations and prospects for the Hahnenkamm from SkiRacing.com.
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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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I know nothing about ski racing except what I see on the TV. What is the problem with fresh snow? I see that it will slow racers down, but why should that prevent a race? Presumably visibility is an issue if it's actually snowing during a race, but what's the problem with snow on the course?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Great question, richmond. This sport seeks to be above nature now. Maybe the FIS should address its core philosophy towards the natural environment. There is an obsession now with clearing racecourses of new snow, injecting them with water to freeze them, spreading chemicals on snow to harden it etc. etc.
Maybe we should just ski on what we find.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Question. Been looking at the interactive map, and suddenly realised I haven't a clue why the course occasionally has the blue lines running across the course - not necessarily consistently or even evenly spaced  (Yes I do understand that the 2 lines either side mark out the 'desirable' path to be followed ...) Anybody know what these are for?
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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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richmond, David Goldsmith,
Good point. I watched Konrad Bartelski do his bit all those years ago. His legs were in constant movement up and down as he smoothed all the piste bump and rolls out. Compared to todays silky smooth race pistes I wonder how todays skiers would cope. (very well I suspect) Also if it would slow them down any?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Nick_C, I doubt it, a lot of todays top skiers are in their mid thirties, Ghardina is 37 I think, so they will have been skiing competitively for more than 20 yrs and will have have transitioned from long thin planks.
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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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| agavin wrote: |
| Question. Been looking at the interactive map, and suddenly realised I haven't a clue why the course occasionally has the blue lines running across the course - not necessarily consistently or even evenly spaced (Yes I do understand that the 2 lines either side mark out the 'desirable' path to be followed ...) Anybody know what these are for? |
I think it's to aid visibility for the racers, to break up the lines more, does it happen near/around corners, jumps etc?
regards,
Greg
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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gregh, Good thinking - however, there seem to be some pretty curvy parts without any? If anything they appear to be placed more after jumps than before (although there seem to be some other random scatterings where it isn't clear to me if there is or isn't a jump?). Anybody have 'the' definitive answer?
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No idea, however on another matter I notice Finlay came 22nd and 3rd in the newest practice descents.
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You can also now view the course from the ORF ski simulator.
I'm not sure that it quite captures the steepness of the first sections, but it gives an idea of how much of the course is a test of gliding as much as throwing yourself off a cliff.
On my first run I cleared the netting to the side of the course as I came over the brow onto the finish schuss 
d
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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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pendodave, the off-course is as much fun as the on course. Try the Wengen course, instead of going through the tunnel under the road head through the gap in the 2 fences to the right and you'll jump the thing instead.
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Here's a preview of tomorrow's downhill by Patrick Lang, on the Reuters site: 'Last chance for Rahlves at Kitzbuhel'
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Winner of three downhills this winter -- at Beaver Creek, Bormio and Wengen -- Rahlves has never skied better than in his final season and announced at the start of it that a win at Kitzbuehel was one of his main goals.
The Californian, who has eclipsed compatriot Miller in recent weeks, won on a shortened course at the Streif three years ago and is intent on being crowned on the whole piste. |
Patrick Lang points out that Rahlves will retire at the end of this season, at the age of 32.
Plus, an interesting eve-of-downhill interview with Daron Rahlves on the Ski Racing site:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/20/sports/sportsspecial1/20skiing.html
The New York Times points out some amusing ironies of Bode Miller in Kitzbuhel, following the recent controversies. Worth a read! :
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/20/sports/sportsspecial1/20skiing.html
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Super G went ahead today in Kitzbuhel. Report by Patrick Lang: Reuters.
Full results: FIS.
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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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Great - Herminator does it again - magic! Finlay Mickel did well too - 35th when AFAIK he doesn't usually ski Super G.
Blue lines across the course are to help with definition in bad light BTW.
New snow on course is undesirable because it can mound up and catch the skiers out. At the current day speeds catching an edge in a mound of soft snow could mean a very serious injury, at the very least a nasty crash.
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You know it makes sense.
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And the winner is... Michael Walchhofer, with Marco Buechel in second place, Daron Rahlves third and Bode Miller fourth. Finlay Mickel had a solid run into 20th (after the top 30 racers had run) which I think is his best result here. Bookies favourite Fritz Strobl finished outside the top 20 after a big moment off the final jump into the finish line.
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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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Finlay has now been pushed outside the top 20 by later starters, but still his best result here, beating his previous best of 36th place very comfortably.
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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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agavin, the blue lines are put in places that are likely to be affected badly by "flat light".....so I believe.
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FAQ
