 Poster: A snowHead
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At the time of writing the opening ceremony of the long-awaited World Ski Championships in Val d'Isere is just over a week away. With the snow in great shape, and coating some of the world's greatest ski terrain, this promises to be a momentous event in the history of competitive skiing.
Uniquely, the racing will focus on the 'face to face' of the dramatic Bellevarde mens' downhill slope (first used for the Olympics in 1992) opposite the Solaise (to be used for the women's events). This is how things are shaping up:
- Val d'Isere is reportedly only 75% booked, so there are still plenty of beds available.
- 59 free navette vehicles are being laid on to take spectators up from Bourg St Maurice and back (from 07.00 each day)
- Cheap rail tickets (as low as 1 Euro) are available from Lyon, Grenoble and Annemasse to Bourg.
- The opening ceremony will start at 18.45 on 2 Feb. The championships run until 15 Feb. The men's downhill is scheduled for Saturday 7 Feb.
Full racing schedule:
http://www.valdisere2009.org/en/spectateurs/programme/calendrier.html
Home page of official Val d'Isere 2009 site:
http://www.valdisere2009.org/en/championnats2009/projet2009/concept.html
Independent news from Valdinet.com:
http://www.valdinet.com/whats_new_article.php?id_whats_new=4262&id_back=1
Anyone going?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 3-02-09 18:57; 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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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 Goldsmth, There is a rep for your club there during and after the WC. 7 Feb 2009 - 21 Feb 2009
http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/reps/rep.asp?intContactID=96768
You can pre-register to ski with him through the link above. As yet the location of his social hour has not been finalised. Perhaps you could ring him, his telephone number is there as well. Although as such a long time member of the Club you probably know him anyway. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Boredsurfing, as a keen ski journalist, I imagine David will be doing just that - and I look forward to his on-the-spot reporting.
David Goldsmith, are you saying the Mens' Downhill will be held on the Face? AFIK that has not been done since the Olympic race was held 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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We are staying down the road in sainte foy that week and would really like to get tickets (I understand they are free) for sunday 15th.
I have registered on the link from the web page given about 2 weeks ago but I have not recieved any further info. Does this mean all tickets have been allocated or is there an easier way to go about this?
Many Thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| achilles wrote: |
David Goldfish, are you saying the Mens' Downhill will be held on the Face? AFIK that has not been done since the Olympic race was held there. |
I'm saying as little as possible. I'm typing that a World Cup downhill happened there last month.
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| achilles wrote: |
| ... as a keen ski journalist, I imagine David will be doing just that - and I look forward to his on-the-spot reporting. |
Unfortunately I have a typing assignment in London at that time.
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David Goldsmith, I think they held a GS there last month on the face but not a downhill. Presumably as a warm up for the World Championships. A Slalom was due to be held too but cancelled due to the weather. I was in Tignes at the time and was tempted to watch but the lure of skiing myself won over.
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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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is there anywhere that we will be able to watch this on the internet?
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I shall be in Tignes that weekend and thought I might nip over and check out some of the racing.
achilles, I understand that the Men's DH will be done on the Face piste. Pity coz it was on my to do list and I don't think they'll let me enter the race 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| David Goldfish wrote: |
| ......I'm saying as little as possible. I'm typing that a World Cup downhill happened there last month. |
Hmm. Cancelled there last year - when it would have been the first time since 1992.
I lost track of this this season's event - not surprising, a lot happening in our family at the time. Can't find reference to a pure Downhill event, though, I'd be grateful if you could give me a link so that I can catch up.
What is surprising to me, as a layman when it comes to racing, is the use of the Face again:
| Quote: |
| Thirty-nine skiers failed to finish the combined. Thirty-six never saw the finish of the GS. The Face de Bellevarde is nasty. |
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 25-01-09 12:57; edited 2 times in total
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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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Hope the Beeb are showing lots of this...
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We're in the town on the second week, coincidence rather than planned but would like to catch a bit of the action.
Does anyone know if the ticket is needed for the whole course or is it just for finish area/grandstand. I guess my question is can I get to see any racing without a ticket or if not racing how about the practice sessions?
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You know it makes sense.
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achilles, if "Thirty-nine skiers failed to finish the combined" last month - as reported by Ski Racing - then a downhill must have been set up and raced, because a combined includes a downhill.
I'm sure Swiller can provide the definitive assessment.
Swiller, help me out here.
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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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David Goldsmith, thought it was a combination of Super GS (or a shortened downhill) and slalom. Wholly happy to be corrected, though. Looks like I do need sum edukashun.
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Poster: A snowHead
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This is from Wikipedia:
| Quote: |
| A combined traditionally consists of one run of downhill and two runs of slalom, in that order, although recently the International Ski Federation (FIS) has introduced the Super combined (or "super combi"), consisting of just a single run of slalom (which may be run first) and either a shortened downhill run or a super G run. In either type of combined event, the winner is the skier with the fastest aggregate time for both portions of the race. |
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_skiing_combined
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
| David Goldfish, are you saying the Mens' Downhill will be held on the Face? AFIK that has not been done since the Olympic race was held there. |
I thought they held the downhill on it last year? I'm sure I saw some pics on Ski Sunday of it. They put a new, little drag, to take you up to the point where the old cable car used to go to. Apologies if the rest of covers this.
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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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| stevew wrote: |
| .........I thought they held the downhill on it last year? I'm sure I saw some pics on Ski Sunday of it. They put a new, little drag, to take you up to the point where the old cable car used to go to. Apologies if the rest of covers this. |
Not in February 2008 - at least not for the Downhill as such. Maybe for the combined. I am unclear if there was a full-scale downhill in December. I guess someone who definitely knows may pop along soon.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've just had a brain wave. Martin Bell did one of his run's with a camera but they canceled it the next day, that's why I'm thinking they did it!
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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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Right this what happened (I think). A WC weekend at VDI, inc downhill on the Face, was scheduled for early this season. This was cancelled not sure why, bad weather, no snow? On the weekend of 13/14 Dec a WC meeting took place at VDI which replaced another meeting elsewhere which was cancelled. This was GS and Slalom only on the Face. The GS took place but the slalom was cancelled due to bad weather.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Colin B wrote: |
| Right this what happened (I think). A WC weekend at VDI, inc downhill on the Face, was scheduled for early this season. This was cancelled not sure why, bad weather, no snow? On the weekend of 13/14 Dec a WC meeting took place at VDI which replaced another meeting elsewhere which was cancelled. This was GS and Slalom only on the Face. The GS took place but the slalom was cancelled due to bad weather. |
Can you remember last year though?
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stevew, I struggle with yesterday! Only know about this year really as I was there.
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| Colin B wrote: |
| stevew, I struggle with yesterday! Only know about this year really as I was there. |
OK
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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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The organisers of Val d'Isere 2009 are deploying state-of-the-art meteorology for this week's events, including "Arome", a new numerical forecasting model used by Meteo-France. Three radars located at Solaise and Bellevarde, plus a radar in Tignes, will provide data.
This report by Agence France Presse.
Four electric buses have been added to the resort's existing shuttle operation. Each 7m long bus can carry 40 passengers:
This report from Val d'Isere 2009
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We are in town for the second week of the Championships. Does anyone know what pistes / lifts will be closed for the duration? I know where the two main slopes are that are being used for the races, but what else will be affected??
Thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Last Saturday in Val d'Isere, the tourist office said that the Solaise Express and L'Olympic should be running normally during the races. I did not ask about the two chairs over the Face de Belvarde. I would expect all the lifts away from the two race slopes to run normally. The Stade de Competition into La Dialle was often closed for slalom training or races, but that often happens. Other holiday skiers told me that parts of the OK were closed for part of last week.
A large part of the skiing area around the bases of the lifts and the two race pistes has been taken over by temporary buildings and race finish areas. You should be able to wander (or ski) freely between these structures and reserved areas.
I looked for, but could not find, any documentation on what would be available and what would not be available when the races were being held.
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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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| Colin B wrote: |
| The GS took place |
Something took place, although (personally) I would be hard pushed to call it a GS - a bloody awful mess would be closer to the mark. I am not looking forward to these Championships as much as I should because the terrain is not conducive to high quality racing.
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Focus of attention today: finish area of Solaise, and Women's Super G:
Live webcam
Report on developments, from International Herald Tribune
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Lindsey Vonn couldn't have planned her run-up to the World Championships any better.
The defending and current overall World Cup leader won back-to-back races in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, over the weekend and tied Tamara McKinney's American women's record of 18 career victories. |
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You know it makes sense.
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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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From the Official website
- On Solaise : The Women's speed events will be run on the new "Rhône-Alpes" slope which will begin its life as a legendary race run by hosting the Downhill, Super Combined Downhill and Slalom, and Super G events.
- On Bellevarde : All the other events will take place on the mythical "Face de Bellevarde", which, in 1992, hosted all the Winter Olympic Men's events with the exception of the Slalom. The Slalom stadium on which the men's and women's technical events will be run will share the same finish area with the Downhill.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bit concerned now
group of 5 of us fly out this Sat the 7th for a week. staying in Val Claret in Tignes
is this likely to make the slopes busier?
we have easy links to Val D'isere from where we are so were looking at going over that way a little bit, maybe not too far over though
could this effect the slopes were on and the amount of people on piste aswell.....
Looking at a piste map it doesnt seem too bad if they are only using Bellevarde and Solaise as they are quite far over to the left of the map
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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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Comments on racing stuff itself in snowSports people. It's what it's there for... 
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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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That's exactly what i've been trying to find out. Thanks for posting that.
| Adrian wrote: |
Last Saturday in Val d'Isere, the tourist office said that the Solaise Express and L'Olympic should be running normally during the races. I did not ask about the two chairs over the Face de Belvarde. I would expect all the lifts away from the two race slopes to run normally. The Stade de Competition into La Dialle was often closed for slalom training or races, but that often happens. Other holiday skiers told me that parts of the OK were closed for part of last week.
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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 for all the links
Y'know there's so little hype I almost forgot it was on and I'm an obsessive skier and out there in a week and a bit ... anyone else get fed up with the way some sports are so overhyped and (most) others just ignored most of the time?
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Super G results and reports:
Telegraph.co.uk
Reuters
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The Solaise course used for the women's speed events has been the subject of controversy because it is much steeper than most women's pistes on the World Cup circuit.
"It's a hard piste, very technical, very different from what we're used to on the World Cup or previous world championships. It's probably the hardest piste we're ever likely to see at any world championships past or present," [Anja] Paerson said. |
Any comments?
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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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Has anyone managed to get a ticket (it says they are free on the website) but I don't seem qble to get one/download one. 
Thanks
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| roga wrote: |
Thanks for all the links
Y'know there's so little hype I almost forgot it was on and I'm an obsessive skier and out there in a week and a bit ... anyone else get fed up with the way some sports are so overhyped and (most) others just ignored most of the time? |
There has been plenty of hype on French TV.
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FAQ
