Hoping to glean some insights here ... I've signed up for our company's annual ski race next month - first time I've dared try it, but I confess I'm nervous. I don't care about placing in the top three (we have loads of awesome skiiers ...) , just about finishing with some degree of respectable time (or at least not falling half way down ...)
I am a pretty solid intermediate on-piste skiier, even by SH high standards - very good on blues, decent on reds, and able but sloppy on blacks, but I'm used to turning when I feel like it and stopping when I'm not sure, rather than having to go on and turn when the gate says so.
Is this going to get me down a basic giant slalom? Any tips of technique that will help me down??
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
tartegnin, Make sure you pitch up for the course inspection and try and remember the gate settings. It will be hard 1st time out to remember them all but try and ID the sections of the course that will demand attention and build a strategy from there. That way there should be no surprises.
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?
course inspection? gate settings? strategy? Oh my ...
First time I tried one, I received some sage advise from someone who knew a bit about these things....essentially it boiled down to starting your turns mid-way between each gate to avoid getting late and then low...which I guess, at our recreational level, begins to stack up and then slow you down....or spin you out, as I discovered on the second attempt.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
tartegnin, I think you're very brave. What's the company?
tartegnin, My alternate strategy (at the EOSB) was to turn up as late as possible, then you don't get cold with all that standing about. Oh, and take a cowbell (It really annoys the other racers)
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Chasseur wrote:
essentially it boiled down to starting your turns mid-way between each gate
I try to think about the next turn as soon as I'm level with the last gate, if not sooner! It takes a little time for the signals to get from the brain to the legs!
I think for a respectable showing on a first race, I'd try to concentrate on smooth turns with no slipping.
I've probably done a couple of dozen of such races with the odd podium spot - but there's people here who can offer much more credible advice than me!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Get some training?
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.
Go to have fun, relax and ski through the gates. What's the point if you're not having fun?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Most importantly - let your boss win.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
meh wrote:
Go to have fun, relax and ski through the gates. What's the point if you're not having fun?
+1
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.
Thanks for all the encouragement, tips and advice!
turn early - check
turn up late - check
have fun - check
let boss win ... hmmm, against my nature, but ... ok
cowbell - check
Pam W. - v. big Swiss-based company ... hence all the great skiiers ... Head of the ski club promised no one would laugh ...
I looked at women's times for last year, and they ranged from 44 seconds to 1min 20, so I have to be somewhere in there.
Will let you all know in a couple of weeks.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Buy a helmet
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
tartegnin, check that you're covered for ski racing under your travel insurance.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
tartegnin, When I race... I have the following mantra (which maybe why I'm not that good....)
'I am here for a good time, which is not necessarily a fast time'
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
telford mike - always wear one - keeps my head toasty!
Pedantica - good advice, although it's not really travel, I don't think, when its a couple of hours down the road - also, if company event, maybe covered by workman's comp?
ski - good one - my mantra is more "big toe little toe belly button armpit" but yours works, too
Take a look at the link to see the awesome SkyGate they have built for the finish area.
Also they are running a race for employees the following month. I don't know all the details yet but I'm in a field of 80 so I'm very grateful for the advice here.
Keep it coming
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?
Skate your start to get your legs moving. And also if you get to a very slow bit. If it's just a little slow, tuck! Carve as much as you can (esp the bottom half of the turns) but not at the expense of getting late (see below). Much better to turn in the right place than to hang on to an unhelpful carving line. Keep the flexion and extension going, don't be static.
Aim well to the outside of the gate you're next turning round but turn when you are in the line projected uphill of that gate.
Try to do most of your turn uphill of the gate, so ideally are already facing the other way by the time you actually pass the gate, getting as close to the outside and downhill side of the gate as poss.
This keeps you high above the next gate so that if you aim well to the outside of that next gate, when you reach the line projected uphill of that gate, you can start your turn and have time and space to do most of the turning and be already facing the other way by the time you actually pass that next gate, again as close to the outside and downhill side of it as you can, and already aiming for well to the outside of the next gate in order to keep high and early.
Clear?
(This post is useless without diagrams!)
If you do a course inspection try to remember the pitch changes so you can think about where you might tuck, then try to remember any rhythm changes in the course set (there may not be any in a company race!) in relation to these. Also note where a camber may necessitate you to push on one ski longer/harder than the other. Esp try to remember anything in relation to ridges you can't see over. Oh and don't forget to sharpen your skis. Good luck!
Hoping to glean some insights here ... I've signed up for our company's annual ski race next month - first time I've dared try it, but I confess I'm nervous. I don't care about placing in the top three (we have loads of awesome skiiers ...) , just about finishing with some degree of respectable time (or at least not falling half way down ...)
I am a pretty solid intermediate on-piste skiier, even by SH high standards - very good on blues, decent on reds, and able but sloppy on blacks, but I'm used to turning when I feel like it and stopping when I'm not sure, rather than having to go on and turn when the gate says so.
Is this going to get me down a basic giant slalom? Any tips of technique that will help me down??
Look down the course and pick out a nice s-shaped route that you are comfortable that you can ski. Concentrate on this not the gates themselves. Stare at the next gate and you will end up going straight at it which will invariably make you overshoot the next one. Look ahead as far as you can so you don't have to make last minute violent adjustments. The line you choose may well be rounder or wider than that left by those who have started before you. Don't worry. The better skiers will be able to go straighter but you weren't going to beat them anyway. Lesser skiers will try to follow their line but will lose masses of speed skidding below the gates trying to stay on course, Keystone Kop stylee. You will beat them by being rounder and smoother .
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
My suggestion for course inspection would be, just skip that. Yes racers do it, but you are not racer, and you have no idea what to look for on inspection. If someone thinks, you can go and do inspection and have something from it just like this, well you are wrong Inspection is done with zero speed, so unless you have lot of experiences in this, you will have no idea what each gate will bring to you, when you will get there with speed. Not to mention, you will forget how first gate looks when you will come down to fifth one already So don't bother with this
Normally such races are set pretty straight forward, and speed is not all that great. So you get into rhythm and just swing from one gate to the other, and keep your view to next gate, not to 2m infront of your skis. And try to stay high on gate... something what non-racers have big problem with
And no, you don't let your boss win! If he has problem with you winning, it's time to change job anyway, since he's di**ck anyway.
I agree with primoz, you will more likely benefit from getting properly warmed up and maybe do a few free runs off course to get everything moving rather than worrying about the course set, you won't have much time during the race to think about much at all, think high on the first gate and keep that thought through the course, much more than this and your mind will go blank!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks for the continued advice - very very encouraging and useful (ok, and a little overwhelming), but also for the good chuckles.
High, wider, rounder - all sounds good. And permission to skip course inspection - sounds waaaaay too complicated for me, and I agree I won't know what I'm looking for. Am planning to pick an easy blue this weekend and practice shorter, more controlled turns, more carving, less traversing, more at speed and hope that that will carry over to next weekend for the race. Again, thanks for the tips, humor and encouragement - gotta love SHs!
After all it is free
After all it is free
A little update on the race ... I managed to finish and not fall down - that feels like a big accomplishment! The course was much longer than I had anticipated (about 25 gates?) and much steeper than I had hoped, and the visibility was variable, but not great. I did get one practice run in early on in the morning, which made me feel pretty confident, but by the time of my official run later in the day, the track was pretty well established, a bit icy, and quite rutted, which meant deviations were not realistic - so, I just barrelled down as best I could, trying to keep the good advice above in mind. I tried hard with the "high on the gate" advice, but it was tough to manage most of the time, not least of which because out of the starting hut (which I hadn't "practiced") was a steep little hill and sharp turn, so I was not in a great rhythm from the start. Oh well ...
In any event, a full 30 seconds behind the fastest time, but as there were only 10 women in my category, at least I can say I finished in the "top ten"! Official rankings will come eventually, but I'm just happy to have made it in one piece!
It was really nice to return to "normal" skiing the next morning, and with a gorgeous sunny day, to boot!
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.
tartegnin, Well done
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Excellent sounds awesome.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
This was our race. 33 gates, I was 28 seconds down. Not featured in the video but I can be seen with my 'Human Cannonball' helmet and dark glasses taking a photo at the post race interview with the winner
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
.
Inspection is done with zero speed, so unless you have lot of experiences in this, you will have no idea what each gate will bring to you, when you will get there with speed. Not to mention, you will forget how first gate looks when you will come down to fifth one already 
