 Poster: A snowHead
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An interesting report from the World Ski Championships in Val d'Isere today, comparing the worlds of recreational and competitive skiing ...
... http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ijmAVXulzqywBqZCDKsP2EItyGUA ...
... includes the following:
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| The racers themselves were there alongside trainers, servicemen from the equipment teams, federation officials, course organisers, piste safety officials and teams of "lisseurs". |
I'd never encountered this word before. It's explained as such:
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| The latter group, made up of ski school instructors and other vastly experienced skiers, have the job of smoothing out a course, an endless and perilous job that has seen many take nasty falls and also some who have pulled out.] |
Googled the word 'lisseurs' and found a reference to "slip crews/Lisseurs/Rutschkommandos" in relation to a World Cup ski race in Beaver Creek.
I'd never heard of 'slip crews' either (and certainly not Rutschkommandos!) though I've often seen people side-slipping or side-stepping a racecourse to smooth it out. Anyone done this work, and attached a name to it?
Can anyone throw any light on the French version 'lisseur', and a verb it might derive from?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lisser = to smooth
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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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Surely it's just a (mis)translation of 'glisseurs' - from glisser (to slip or slide). Slip crews are commonly called 'slippers'.
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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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Rutschkommandos sounds so much more impressive though 
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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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Village ski clubs are always looking for volunteers to smooth out the courses and repair the flags .......... usually parents
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| FenlandSkier wrote: |
| Surely it's just a (mis)translation of 'glisseurs' - from glisser (to slip or slide). Slip crews are commonly called 'slippers'. |
As Cassius Clay used to say to either Michael Parkinson or Harry Carpenter 'You're not as dumb as you look'. The French do have the catch-all term multiglisse. It would fit in with that.
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laundryman, FenlandSkier, without looking it up, I would have said that laundryman was right. Calling Kruisler, or davidof.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| Anyone done this work, and attached a name to it? |
Slipping the course is hard work in soft snow. Did a bit of this in the EoSB race a couple of seasons ago, as well as when running gates in Tignes for pre-season race training. Courses which aren't slipped can be a bit tricky to negotiate, especially if the snow if not very firm.
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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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laundryman is right, it's from the verb lisser - to smooth out when referring to a surface or material.
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| Colin B wrote: |
| Rutschkommandos sounds so much more impressive though |
Rutschkommando is the standard German word for this job, the folk who slide down the course between racers or before the race (often groups of Army soldiers for big races in Austria).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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"Rutschen" is the German verb "to slip." 
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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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FAQ
I've never heard this 'Lisseurs' word before, something new learned today 
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