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Ski a World Championship Downhill - with a difference!
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Poster:
A snowHead
Poster:
A snowHead
Right now is your chance to Ski (or board and yes people were doing it on one plank too) a World Championship Downhill course right here in the UK...
Albeit it's a downhill mountain bike course, widely considered one of the toughest in the world, the Offbeat Downhill at Nevis Range which drops 1820ft over 2.8km and taken together with the snowsports area means you can currently notch up a 3675ft vertical descent right here in Scotland from the Summit to the Carpark.
Here's how it should be done:
http://youtube.com/v/G9ARlglIUTE
Watch the video link above to get a feel for the track, you'll spot the wall ride and the kicker quite easily in the video. It's narrow, requires precision riding and a degree of commitment that may unnerve those not familar with the track as you have to let the skis flow and let the speed build through some sections till it widens out enough to put in some speed checking turns.
This is only suitable for advanced skiers and boarders and bear in mind you have to sign a disclaimer to do this on a bike, and they have brakes! Skis only have brakes when you wipeout!!
The top half of the line under the Gondola was skiing beautifully on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, in fact if there was a mid-station on the Gondola you could happily lap it all day!
Once past the deer fence and in the forest it's complete combat skiing if you stick under the Gondola line, so it was better to head to and use a combination of the forest tracks and/or or the World Cup Downhill.
On the downhill the snow is now firm packed from the skier traffic, but its nice and grippy (though maybe icy earlier in the day) and now that it is consolidated any rocks on the track are clear to see and avoid, so you can focus on picking a line through the berms, drops, rises, trees, table tops and kickers. On the whole it's reasonable cover till virtually at the bottom, the big dropdown into the carpark on the Offbeat Wall is thin, scrapped and gritty because people have been snowploughing down it! Doh! Best to stop and walk the last 100yards!
Obviously
A snowHead
isn't a real person
Obviously
A snowHead
isn't a real person
I can promise its a fun track to race on a bike! Should be a giggle on skis. You can ski a number of MTB race tracks in the Portes du Soleil too!
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?
Amazing video.
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Looks fabulous. I am getting more and more minded to go up north for some skiing towards the end of this month.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Now we just need a vid of someone doing it in the snow
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Poster: A snowHead
