 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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Fantastic. For those who like their speeds in real money, 251.4 kph = 156.2 mph 
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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.
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Sorry Nick, that's 127 mph in real money 
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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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Nick Zotov, PG, I make it 156.2 too 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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slikedges, yes, was referring to Tom Horn's speed on downhill skis of 202.59 kph
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PG, Did they start higher up than normal they were planning to start about 5 or 10m higher up last year but conditions wouldn't allow it.
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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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PG, Do you know how that compares to the Wilkie brothers? I can't remember their speeds, but I thought Graham did 200kph way back when he was world record holder for about 48 hours! John Clarke (Eurosport) also had a bit of a go at it.
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Charlotte, Graham Wilkie's world record was 132mph at Les Arcs in April 1987. The record was taken by Michael Prufer the next autumn in Chile.
Great to see some new world records - thanks for the report, PG!
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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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Had a very interesting experience in Champoluc in March this year. Wife and I were skiing the week with a local guide when at the last minute he called to apologise that he would be unable to guide us himself and instead offered the services of a friend of his promising we would not be disappointed. Turns out that this friend was Simone Origone. Very nice chap and irritatingly good looking (so at least my wife was not disappointed). My day improved when she got tired by 1130 and i got a few hours skiing with Simone who was born and grew up in Champoluc. On one of the hikes we talked about the upcoming competition at Les Arcs where he thought the world record would be improved as the condition of track was exceptional. What he did not mention was that he was going to be the one to who set the new record.
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I've read / heard somewhere and I'm not sure whether it's true or not the speed skiiers actually exceed the speed one would acheive in freefall. Is this true or an urban myth?
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You know it makes sense.
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Yer bog standard, falling flat, skydiver would typically be doing 120mph but if he goes head down and all aerodynamic then it's going to be closer to 170mph. To do a straight comparison you'd need a skydiver in the same bodyposition as the speed skier as the aerodynamics will be king at those speeds.
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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 wonder if the stability provided by the skis makes it easier to maintain a fixed, aerodynamic position.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I wonder whether the skis are in fact in contact with the snow at all at those kind of speeds. I would imagine ( but of course can't prove ) that you would effectively be flying on a cushion of air and so might well be no difference whether you were a skydiver in that position or speed skiing in that position. Other than that a skidiver would follow a parabolic arc of course..
Time for another physics deep dive?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PP, this the one?!
Impressive thing was that before Simone senior took the title, his little brother Ivan Simone held it for a few minutes, equalling Goitschl's old record of 250.70 kph. All the more impressive given that Ivan is just 17, I think... obviously he now holds the junior world record.
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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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| Russell wrote: |
| PG, Did they start higher up than normal they were planning to start about 5 or 10m higher up last year but conditions wouldn't allow it. |
They didn't need to in the end. The way it works is that they start at the usual place - and then, if the record doesn't go, they move up, 5, 10 metres, perhaps more.
As the men's record went in the first run it was all over, no need to move up. The women on the other hand failed to beat the record from the initial start point, so moved up a good 10 metres for the second run. The Swede Sanna Tidstrand then took the record.
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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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| Mike Lawrie wrote: |
I wonder whether the skis are in fact in contact with the snow at all at those kind of speeds. I would imagine ( but of course can't prove ) that you would effectively be flying on a cushion of air and so might well be no difference whether you were a skydiver in that position or speed skiing in that position. Other than that a skidiver would follow a parabolic arc of course..
Time for another physics deep dive? |
You may well be correct. I was the SCGB rep (just to wee wee one or two Snowheads off) in Les Arcs in 1992 when speed skiing was a a demonstration event at the winter Olympics.
I was going up in the chair next to the speed skiing run with an Aussie carrying a pair of speed skis. I assumed he was one of the support team and we got talking. In fact he was actually a racer who had not been able to make the qualifying time because he had been out through injury, although he had achieved the qualifying time in the past. There had been a bit of controversy in the media about him and one or two others not being able to enter the event in those circumstances. In typical laid back Aussie style he took it well and said "I'm just carrying the skis and putting on the wax".
He explained a few things about speed skiing, then went on to say that at about 160 KPH the skis do indeed lift off the snow and you are floating on a cushion of air and the great sensation about it was, that after clattering down the mountain all of a sudden everything goes quiet! Image that - that must be one helluva buzz.
"How do you manage to steer?" I asked.
"With your head". He replied.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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not surname like Herzog by any chance?
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easiski, production skis, ie downhill - as opposed to the speed ski specific equipment (from helmet through suit to skis) worn by the specialists.
In the photo above of Tom you can see what he was using, ie standard catsuit, downhill skis. His record is for the fastest Brit on ordinary downhill gear.
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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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easiski, PS, one of the Brits (Scots), Marc Poncin I think, did around 144/145 kph yesterday, so that may have been the overall fastest by a Brit, will check later...........
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how does an individual punter like me try this (obviously not the world champs). Is the track open all season and can you just turn up in Les Arcs?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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simo1234, Firstly you will need a letter from your doctor confirming brain removal.
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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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I have no brain to start with....
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| simo1234 wrote: |
| how does an individual punter like me try this (obviously not the world champs). Is the track open all season and can you just turn up in Les Arcs? |
You can try it at Les Arcs, or at least you used to be able to do so. They only let you go from part way up, although reading a report from someone who has done it that would seem far enough! I believe they do give you the super long skis and the all the gear and no - I have not tried it myself!
Even from part way up I have an idea you could be talking about 120KPH.
The track they have been using since 1992 onwards I seem to recall is not a totally natural feature of the mountain. In 1992 they had to bank up the snow on one side to construct the course so it may not be open all season. I suppose they could now have done something in the summer to make the course more permanent, which might make sense.
The ski school in Arcs 2000 should be able to tell you all you need to know.
Bon chance.
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You know it makes sense.
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| simo1234 wrote: |
| I have no brain to start with.... |
Excellent. I believe they check they can see daylight through your ears before they put on your helmet
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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 should add to my recent post, my understanding is that you are given instruction and I think they move you progressively up the slope when they think you are capable.
It's not just a situation of turning up and having a go and I think they are as safety conscious as they can be given the nature of the activity.
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Poster: A snowHead
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PG, yep thats him, although the facial growth is new. Apart from speed skiing is also competes in free-ride competitions, and is a qualified instructor and high mountain guide.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| richjp wrote: |
I should add to my recent post, my understanding is that you are given instruction and I think they move you progressively up the slope when they think you are capable.
It's not just a situation of turning up and having a go and I think they are as safety conscious as they can be given the nature of the activity. |
They even have someone to check that you don't get your braces caught in the starting gate.
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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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strapppng small jet engines to feet, slighly insane but then using 2 hot waterbottle as fuel tanks... totally nuts 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I like the way he responds when asked why he's doing it, "I like flying" with a slightly insane look on his face
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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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PG, Right - I thought it must be something like that. I have lifted up Stuart Wilkie's speed skis - I could just mnaage it with two hands!! 245cms they were!! The Wilkies used to do strength training by holding a tuck in their sitting room while the other sat on their shoulders they're both big lads!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Those that know the location of the course will be aware that the racers have to ski across from the top of a lift over some pretty awkward moguls to get to the start of it. If I remember rightly the normal piste next to the course is graded black. Most of the racers skied across on normal skis with a backup team member lugging their racing skis on their shoulders for them.
The Latvian team at the time however appeared to be a one man band and it was quite interesting to see him carefully navigating the bumps on his 245s.
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| richjp wrote: |
| The Latvian team at the time however appeared to be a one man band and it was quite interesting to see him carefully navigating the bumps on his 245s. |
Didn't somebody die doing that last season?
The Flying K course at Les Arcs does seem to be open to the public, but I think it is only for a few days at a time when it is being prepped for competitions. PG should know, I think that his daughter has done it.
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| simo1234 wrote: |
| how does an individual punter like me try this (obviously not the world champs). Is the track open all season and can you just turn up in Les Arcs? |
It's open when snow conditions/weather permits, which is not that frequent. Yes anyone can try it - they rent out downhill gear rather than full scale speed equipment for punters just wishing to have a go. Check with the Club des Sports (not the ski school, nothing to do with them).
From the intermediate start position (tourists aren't allowed to start higher up) you can easily reach speeds of 80mph or more. As Rob mentioned, hannou did it a few times when she was 11 on her GS skis and reached something approaching 130kph, so on the right skis and with a bit of extra weight (and a good tuck of course) it should be possible to get up a fair bit of speed.
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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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| Quote: |
As Rob mentioned, hannou did it a few times when she was 11 on her GS skis and reached something approaching 130kph
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OMG
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FAQ
wearing a very nice red suit aswell 
