 Poster: A snowHead
|
thinking about going to watch the downhill in valdisere this year and do a couple of days skiing / snow permitting
questions are
where is the best place to watch it from? or do you move/ski about a bit? would like to see the start, midway fast speeds, jumps, compression etc.
is it busy in resort at that time of year? do I need to prebook a room or is turn up and use tourist info going to work? would like to leave it as long as possible so if the snow is not there can move somewhere else.
any other advise or tips?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
daehwons, I was in Val d'Isere for the Men's Downhill last season. It's lots of fun. I wrote some comments about the weekend in this thread.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
thanks for the link, I did a search and that thread didn't show up.
liked the comment about everyone skiing down to ladaille was funneled into one icy run...... no change from normal there then!!!!
Forget about the practice, will probably get there a couple days before anyhow so will get to watch it without the crowds, not really fussed to much about the actual race but would just like to see live skiing
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
daehwons, you should have probably booked your room about 12 months ago, but you may get lucky 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Best places to watch (in order top to bottom) are:
1. The start, you can look up at the start and the first couple of turns from the top of the La Daille gondola, it's usually really slick and steep and real fast!
2. The Wall, about 30 seconds on to the course, a flat section follows the first couple of turns as just described then the course bends slightly right then drops off like an elevator shaft, the entry speed isn't that high, about 45 - 50mph but after the near freefall for 3 or 4 seconds the guys are going about 80mph.
3. Bosse d'Colombin, about 50 - 60 seconds into the course atjust before the flats that lead to the mid station at La Daille, ou can see it from the wall and it's pretty cool to watch the guys go down the wall then gradually fade from view then drop off the Colombin. This Jump (Bosse) isn't as fierce as it used to be Roland Colombin broke his back there, two years running! about '72-ish I think....
4. Telephon/gulley and entry to the meadows, you can catch most of this from the terrace of the folie Doux? obeside the mid station at LA Daille.... Bloooohdy Nice Dahling! Cool terrain changes and serius turns as the skiers come from the flat to much more varied and faster parts of the course, the start of the technical stuff.....
5. Meadows/entry to forest/ run to tunnel Jump. Good high speed skiing, guys are travelling about 60mph average, constant sweeping turns, rollers that are hard to see and suck the skiers' feet away from them...
6. Tunnel jump, big long 45m -sh flight as they cross the public piste and start to accelerate agin onto the fastest/most demanding bit of the course, the entry to the compression.
6.The compression a tough s bend that has a dip on the entry, then a crest then a fall away for teh exit,,, creating a 'compression - err understatement of the skiers legs as they try to switch from one turn to the next. bear in mind they;re about 1 min 45 into this and they're tired to say the least!
7. The schuss to the finish from the com[pression exit isn't the most exciting/dramatic part of the OK Piste but it's interesting to see how much momentum they have managed to carry from the pitch after the tunnel jump through the compression.... good to tune your eye in on real athletic performance, skis are important her too, or rather the preparation, to keep them gliding well all the way to the line,,,
Errr that's it! Val de doodah (The OK Piste) isn't the most demanding downhill in the world by a long shot but it is recognised as one of the most difficult races to win!
It's a good course to ski down and watch at the sections I've described, that saves getting frostbite as you stand watching hermann and co doing their thing, and keeps anyone who's not that into the race scene from getting bored.
Get a start list and go watch the training runs, they're more interesting than the race in some ways, you'll see the guys tring out different lines etc at the compression for instance, ahev bets amongst yourselves to see who can spot the fastest guy in training with out the use of teh split time announcements etc etc.
Regarding the resort at that time of year, it's usually dead, the only problem trying to find accomodation might be that not all of the hotels are open yet.......
Have fun!
JC
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
jcjc, great info, thanks
I had in my mind most of the spots you mentioned. I am going to be taking some camera gear and hopefully get some good shots of the technical stuff
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ